(Adds tourism ministry, flight changes, context)
ISTANBUL, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Turkey could miss out on
600,000-700,000 tourists a year following the collapse of
British tourism agency Thomas Cook on Monday, the head
of Turkey's Hoteliers Federation (TUROFED) said.
TUROFED chairman Osman Ayik said the estimate was based on
the number of tourists that had come to Turkey with Thomas Cook
in recent years. He said those tourists may now decide against
returning with other travel agencies.
The world's oldest travel firm collapsed on Monday,
stranding more than half a million holidaymakers around the
globe and sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in
British history.
Ayik said there were currently 45,000 tourists in Turkey
from the United Kingdom and other European countries who had
travelled with Thomas Cook.
Dalaman Airport's website showed at least seven flights to
several UK destinations scheduled to depart on Monday had been
cancelled.
Tourism is a major source of income for Turkey, helping to
shore up its current account deficit, especially in the summer
months. About 40 million tourists visited in 2018, bringing in a
revenue of $29.5 billion, according to official data.
"There are a large number of small businesses whose fates
depend on Thomas Cook, especially in Mugla, Dalaman and
Fethiye," Ayik told Reuters, referring to popular destinations
on Turkey's western coast.
He said Thomas Cook owed 100,000-200,000 pounds each to some
small hotels, which could suffer as a result of the travel
agency's collapse.
Turkey's Tourism Ministry said earlier that it was working
with the Finance Ministry to extend a loan support package to
businesses that were affected.
(Reporting by Ceyda Caglayan and Ezgi Erkoyun; Writing by Ali
Kucukgocmen; editing by David Clarke)