Holidaymakers have issued a stark warning about a once-thriving holiday hotspot, declaring it has become a “ghost town”.
UK travellers seem to be turning their backs on Antalya, Turkey, in search of more affordable vacation spots. In a recent TikTok video, Josh Daly expressed his surprise at the deserted state of the resort.
He explained: “So it is safe to say that Antalya might be dead. We’re here in January, and it is a complete ghost town.
“We have got absolutely nothing going on. The hotel doesn’t actually have anyone in so, if you do want to get away by yourself, it’s probably the best way to go about it because it looks like a bomb has been dropped there. Honestly, there’s nothing here – it’s a complete ghost town.”
His video quickly racked up thousands of views, sparking a conversation among users. While some suggested the off-season timing could explain the lack of activity, others cited inflationary pressures as the culprit.
One commenter shared their personal experience, reflecting broader tourism trends. They said: “Been to Turkey many times in recent years as it was cheaper than Greece, Italy etc. Since inflation went nuts over there, it’s now too expensive. Egypt is my go-to country now – value for money.”
Another wrote: “People saying ‘because it’s January/winter’ aren’t really bright. In the day it can still be comfortably warm and not all people like heat. Egypt can be around the same in January, and it’s still busy.”
Meanwhile, someone else added: “Antalya is a rip off now – £300 to £400 for a hotel. I stayed on the Palm in Dubai for that. Such a shame, really liked Antalya.”
Meanwhile, back in August, voices emerged claiming Turkey was “dead” from a tourist standpoint due to rising costs. A social media user known as slimwadie5 expressed his shock at the prices he encountered, remarking on how one speed boat dared charge £120 for just an hour-long venture.
At the time, he said: “I went on a boat trip the other day, £20 it was, and that was alright – that was reasonable.
“I went to Burger King and it was £5 – that’s cheap. I’m sat in this place now – for a burger it’s £12. For a water it’s £2 – it’s becoming like London prices.
“My sister, and her little family, said they’re not going to come back again, because they’re just… I’ve seen some posts on here where people are saying, give it a few more years, and Turkey’s going to be dead.”