With rising rental prices in Turkish Antalya and the closure of some areas to foreigners, the occupancy of apart-hotels in the popular Konyaalti area has reached 100%. The high demand for rental and purchase of housing by Russian emigrants has increased sharply after the announcement of a partial mobilization call for men in the Russian Federation. In this regard, rental offers for affordable apartments have dried up, apart-hotels are also full, and many have a long lease term.
If tourism is now only long-term
A number of apart-hotels recorded an increase in bookings for up to six months after the announcement of partial mobilization in Russia, the Turkish edition of NTV Para specified. The bulk of the arrivals are Russians and Ukrainians who come to the coastal province for the long term.
The Russians who arrived in Turkey in the “first wave”, i.e. immediately after February 24, and those who wished to obtain a residence permit either rented housing for a long time or bought it. However, as demand grew, so did prices, making it difficult to find apartments for both newcomers and Turkish citizens themselves every day. According to the publication, disputes between landlord and tenant have also escalated due to the fact that prices have reached exorbitant values.
Among the 1,169 districts previously closed to foreigners by the Immigration Office in 58 provinces, 10 districts are located directly in Antalya, where Russians are mainly sent. Recall that back in the spring and summer, the Turkish authorities felt the consequences of the mass resettlement of Russians and Ukrainians to their territory. They noted the overpopulation of certain popular areas, including Antalya, the main resort province of Turkey.
We are talking about the micro-districts of Hurma, Sarisu and Liman in the Konyaalti region, where traditionally there were always a lot of Russians, now there are even more of them. Because of this, the Turkish authorities decided to close the issuance of residence permits for foreigners in these areas in order to “lower the degree” of demand for real estate. However, the Russians did not stop and poured into the hotels.
Apart-hotels were the first to be dismantled. They are in high demand due to the price and home concept. Typically, such tourist sites close the season in October, but due to the influx of expat tourists, it was decided to extend the season. As a result, the occupancy of some apart-hotels in the area has reached 100 percent, with tourists booking rooms until the end of this year. After the recent announcement of partial mobilization in Russia, the booking period in apart-hotels has increased to 6 months.
According to Muhammet Inci, the manager of the apart-hotel in Konyaalti, the hotels have already been completely bought up until the end of the year. “In previous years, as of October 1st, demand has always declined and most hotels close the season. But due to the events taking place in the world and the announcement of mobilization by Russia, many of our reservations were extended. Some of our guests extended their booking by 3 months, and some by 6 months,” he told the publication.
If you stay, then already for the winter
The biggest reason Konyaalti in Antalya is preferred by Russians is its proximity to the sea. “In general, citizens of Russia and Ukraine prefer the Konyaalti region. Since it is difficult for them to find free accommodation in the area, they are more likely to choose apart-hotels. Our rooms are more suitable for family living because they are designed according to the concept of a house. Those who came to us decided to stay and spend the winter here. Many of those who arrive suffer from the fact that they cannot find houses and apartments. Many of the remaining offers are prohibitively expensive,” added the interlocutor.
By the way, the weather in the resort of Antalya favors and pampers the newcomers. Read the details in the article “African summer has begun in Turkey: it is already +45C in Antalya.”
The publication reported on a Ukrainian woman who, before the start of the special operation, often rested in the resorts of Antalya, and 5 months ago she moved to Turkey for a long term. “I have been living in the hotel for 3 months now. I really want to return to Ukraine. If all this is over, I will return to my country. The people here are very nice, they help. I don’t know when I will go to Ukraine,” she said.
As Zhanara Uskenova, who guides Russian citizens who come to Antalya, explained on her pages on social networks, it has become difficult for our compatriots to buy housing. Affects the lack of proposals and exorbitant price tags for the remaining options. “Turkey is very beautiful and there are very good people here. Russians prefer this place – Antalya. They come here to live better. Upon arrival, they ask where they can find schools for their children and homes for investment. They come, but it's a bit difficult for them to buy a house now. Because some areas are closed to foreigners,” she wrote.
Due to several waves of Russian-Ukrainian emigration, the population of non-rubber Antalya has increased rapidly. This was noted by the President of the Chamber of Realtors, Car Dealers and Entrepreneurs of Antalya Ismail Caglar. To quote him: “The number of people who came to Antalya, the capital of tourism, increased by 20 percent after the mobilization announcement in Russia. At the same time, now there are no such exorbitant prices as they were a month ago. At that time, the exorbitant price was a bubble, and this bubble burst.”
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