Trade turnover between Russia and Turkey is expected to decrease by the end of 2024 due to mounting Western pressure, according to Alexey Yerkhov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey. Speaking to the Turkish financial publication Ekonomim, Yerkhov highlighted the challenges imposed by US sanctions on bilateral trade.
“We observe intensified Western pressure in this area, yet trade continues. US sanctions are complicating bilateral trade in every possible way. Bank transfers remain largely blocked, and representatives of the US and EU finance ministries are creating significant difficulties for Turkey’s already struggling business community. I believe Russian-Turkish trade turnover will decline by the year's end,” said Yerkhov.
On tourism, Yerkhov noted that 5.5 million Russian tourists visited Turkey in the first nine months of this year. “By the end of the year, we will likely surpass last year’s figure of 6.3 million. As always, Russia remains the largest source of tourists to Turkey by a significant margin,” he said.
Addressing ongoing debates in Turkish and Russian media about potential changes to the “all-inclusive” tourism system, Yerkhov acknowledged its flaws but warned of the consequences of abandoning it.
“This system is far from perfect, but what would happen if it were discontinued? Currently, tourists mainly rely on hotel services, and the mechanisms in place generally function well. Shifting to other service models would require significant changes and expenses,” he explained.
Yerkhov pointed out that transitioning away from “all-inclusive” packages would demand more complex logistics, highly skilled staff, particularly waiters, and advanced accounting procedures.
“Tourists would need to carry cash for meals, and hotel accommodation prices would need to drop significantly as they might have to spend more elsewhere. Wouldn’t this drive tourists to choose other destinations instead?” the ambassador questioned.
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Photo: Moscow-Live/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS