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Germany is tightening land border controls: Affect On Travellers

Germany's Interior Minister announced that new land border controls will be in effect for six months from 16 September. Germany announced that it has tightened controls at its land borders in order to control irregular migration and increase security. The knife attack in Solingen in August revived criticism of the coalition government on migration and deportations. In the face of growing public outcry, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised to toughen immigration laws. Here's what we know so far about how the new border controls will affect entry and exit from Germany by road. Why are the new German border controls being introduced? In August, three people were killed and eight injured in a knife attack at a festival in Solingen. The man who claimed responsibility for the attack and was taken into custody was a Syrian suspected of being a member of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). According to German media reports, the 26-year-old attacker's asylum application was rejected and he was supposed to be deported to Bulgaria, where he first entered the European Union (EU) last year, but he could not be deported because he disappeared. The Solingen attack took place in the run-up to the state elections in the two eastern regions of Saxony and Thuringia, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has a very strong vote share. Just before the 1 September state elections, the coalition government announced new immigration measures to tighten the rules on deporting migrants. Europe's Schengen area allows passport-free travel between member states, but member states can introduce border controls if they consider there is a threat to public policy or internal security. When will the new controls come into force and how long will they last? Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced at a press conference on Monday that the new border controls will come into force from Monday 16 September and will last for six months. What will change for travellers? Although details have not yet emerged, the new border controls are likely to affect everyone travelling into or out of Germany by land. If more people are stopped at the borders, there could be traffic jams for motorists. Bus and train journeys may take longer if transport is stopped for checks. Deutsch Bahn (DB), Germany's largest train operator, reported that in June this year almost half of the long-distance trains arrived late. It said this was due to extreme weather conditions. Long border controls could exacerbate the woes of DB travellers. Major train and bus operators such as Deutsche Bahn, European Sleeper and Flixbus were contacted for comment. Which countries will the new controls affect? Germany shares land borders with 9 countries. These are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Germany's border with Austria is currently subject to temporary controls, which were introduced in 2015 in response to a large influx of migrants and have been in place since then. These controls are in place until 11 November 2024. Temporary controls at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland were also introduced last year in response to renewed concerns about migration. These controls are in effect until 15 December 2024. The controls will also be extended to Germany's other land borders with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark, the ministry said. The controls will initially be in place for six months. They will also cover the busy Christmas and New Year travel periods. Although Germany has so far announced that the controls will remain in place for six months, they may be extended if they are judged to have served their purpose.

The current state of the tourism market in Germany

According to the data, the percentage of those who were satisfied with the current sales situation increased from 50% in the previous month to 51.9% in August. While 37.8% of participants described the sales as "satisfactory," 11.7% reported that sales were weak. DEMAND EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS In August, the percentage of those who expected demand for travel services to increase over the next 6 months rose by 5.6% to 27.8%, up from 22.2% in July. Meanwhile, 57.2% of respondents believed that sales would remain stable, and 15% expected sales to worsen. INCOME EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS Regarding income expectations for the next 6 months, 28.2% of travel agencies anticipated an increase in income, compared to 26.3% the previous month. Additionally, 51.1% expected income to remain stable, while 20.7% predicted a decrease, down from 23.7% last month.

The Germans Are Returning to Alanya

The Germany-based 'Holiday Check' website, which provides hotel and travel recommendations to users, has prepared a guide for those interested in vacationing in Turkey. Titled 'Turkish Riviera: Top 10 Travel Destinations,' the list includes Turkey's tourist hotspots. Alanya's world-famous Kleopatra Beach is also featured on the list, described as one of the country's most beautiful beaches. Alanya's tourism potential is highly regarded among German tourists. Regarding Kleopatra Beach, which is listed on Holiday Check's list, it is described as follows: 'Located west of Alanya, near Damlataş Cave. One of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Kleopatra Beach boasts excellent infrastructure with hotels and restaurants. The water is very clear and clean.' Expressing optimism for the 2024 tourism season, Mehmet Dahaoğlu, Vice President of the Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV) and the Alanya Touristic Hoteliers Association (ALTİD), stated, "SunExpress CEO Max Kownatzki mentioned that Turkey remains one of the top countries on travelers' minds this year. Yıldıray Karaer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Corendon Airlines, indicates that demand from Germany is very high. Yasir Karaçor, General Manager of ANEX Germany, stated that they aim to host 780,000 German tourists this year. Holiday Check recommended 10 locations in Turkey for holidays. These destinations are already the most famous and tourist-attracting areas in Turkey. Demand from Germany and European countries already seems high. Each destination has both cheap and expensive businesses. Considering Alanya as a cheap destination would be inappropriate. Due to the economic conditions and exchange rates in our country, regardless of our prices, we remain economical. If we are seen as the destination for budget-friendly holidays, it is because of our economic conditions. Last summer, countries like Egypt and the UAE, which were our competitors, lowered their prices to compete with Turkey. Nevertheless, due to our higher service quality, we were still preferred. Our motivation is high for the upcoming summer, and we are hopeful. Hopefully, the state of war does not escalate further, and we reap the rewards of our efforts." Ali Orkan, President of the Konaklı Touristic Hoteliers Association, stated, "Alanya hotels hold a significant place in the German market, which is an extremely important destination for our tourism in Alanya. In recent years, due to increasing costs, our region's hotels have implemented price increases to a certain extent, bringing prices for foreign guests to a normal level. The Alanya market is an indispensable destination for German guests."

Record decline in the German real estate market

The Association of German Mortgage Banks (VDP), which provides mortgage financing for residential properties in Germany, has released data on housing prices for the entire last year and the last quarter. According to the data, the end of the crisis is still not in sight in the German real estate market. Housing prices dropped by an average of 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the previous quarter. When compared to the same period in 2022, there was a decrease of 6.1 percent. Commercial real estate prices in Germany recorded the sharpest decline ever seen since records began, with a decrease of 4.9 percent compared to the previous quarter and a 12.1 percent decline on an annual basis. Jens Tolckmitt, the President of VDP's Executive Board, stated in his assessment of the situation, 'Contrary to speculations frequently made in the public, there is still no sign of a reversal in the trend of property prices. The situation will continue to be challenging in 2024. "The social problem of being unable to find rental apartments will escalate" The real estate sector in Germany had gained momentum for many years due to falling interest rates and increasing demand. However, the efforts of the European Central Bank (ECB) to combat high inflation with rising interest rates are negatively impacting the real estate sector. High interest rates are making investments in construction and other sectors more expensive, leading to problems in the economy. The significant increase in material costs is also making many projects unprofitable for developers. The tightening financial conditions and the cancellation or postponement of construction contracts have also pushed some construction companies into bankruptcy. The Real Estate and Housing Companies Association (BFW) is calling on the German federal government to take measures due to the crisis. According to experts, this will especially lead to insufficient affordable housing in large cities in the coming years, exacerbating the social problem of being unable to find rental apartments. On the other hand, the crisis in the construction sector is also challenging the German economy. The German economy contracted by 0.3 percent compared to the previous year last year due to high inflation affecting purchasing power, high energy prices, weak external demand, and high interest rates. Germany continues to struggle to emerge from the ongoing economic downturn, maintaining uncertainty in the economic outlook for this year."

The demand for travel increased in Germany

In Germany's tourism and travel industry, a positive trend is observed compared to the same period last year. Sales in January exceeded the figures of the previous year as expected. According to a report compiled based on data from the Tats-Reisebüro-Spiegel by the German business and tourism magazine fvw, the total turnover of German travel agencies in January increased by 0.8% compared to the same period last year. Similar increases were observed in segments such as cruise, airline ticket, and other reservation sectors, alongside tourism sales. However, this upward trend was not reflected in new orders. According to the report, there was a significant decrease in tourism and cruise orders, with tourism orders declining by 8.8% and cruise orders by 5.6%. This indicates that uncertainties in the industry and ongoing travel restrictions persist. Nevertheless, there was a significant increase in cumulative sales made by the end of January compared to the same period last year. Particularly noteworthy is the 23.2% increase in the cruise segment. This mixed picture in Germany's tourism sector shows that post-pandemic recovery is still not entirely stable. Fluctuations in the travel industry and changes in customer preferences require companies to act flexibly and adaptably.

The leading company in Germany is returning to Antalya!

After undergoing extensive renovation, Hotel Stone Palace located in the Çolaklı district of Side will start hosting guests in May under the name Allsun Numa Club Side. The hotel features not only family rooms with two separate bedrooms but also a large wellness center including an indoor pool, sauna, and Turkish bath. With a garden spanning 15,000 square meters, the hotel offers approximately 350 rooms with balconies in various categories. Willi Verhuven, the CEO of Alltours, stated in his announcement regarding the opening of the new hotel, "We are bringing the Allsun brand to Turkey's most popular and fastest-growing holiday destination. Side has an excellent tourism infrastructure and a very good price-quality balance. This year, we aim to send 500,000 guests to Turkey." Alltours, which operates more than 30 hotels in Mallorca, the Canary Islands, and Crete, was represented in Turkey a few years ago with the Allsun Novum Garden Side and Allsun Lilyum hotels, owned by Novum. The new hotel is expected to make a significant contribution to the tourism sector in Antalya.

The Munich Airport, closed for the second time, has reopened

The extreme snow and severe cold in Germany, especially in Bavaria, have paralyzed life. Munich Airport, closed for the second time due to freezing sleet, reopened after approximately 6 hours. The airport, shut down on Tuesday morning due to freezing drizzle, saw its first landing from a flight arriving from New York after the planes and runways' ice was melted. About 150 departures and 160 arrivals were canceled, disrupting the daily plan of the airport, which had over 770 departures and arrivals scheduled for the day. It was announced that the northern part of the airport was particularly affected by the freezing rain. An airport spokesperson stated that due to restrictions in air traffic since the onset of severe winter weather in most of Bavaria, approximately 1500 passengers have been stranded at Munich Airport since last Friday, with many spending more than one night in the terminal. Passengers, attempting to express their complaints on a scale of 'X,' shared messages stating that promised connecting flights were canceled multiple times. Munich is Germany's second-largest airport and a crucial hub for international air traffic. It was noted that the majority of stranded passengers were international travelers. Some passengers complained about Lufthansa, stating that they were stuck in Munich without their luggage for three consecutive days.

Antalya hosts visitors mostly from Russia and Germany

Tourism activity continues in Antalya, which attracts tourists from all over the world. According to the data of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, between January 1 and August 31, 10 million 835 thousand 204 people visited the city, of which 10 million 209 thousand 855 were foreigners and 625 thousand 349 were Turkish citizens living abroad. Russia ranked first among the countries that sent the most visitors to Antalya in the 8-month period, with 2 million 379 thousand 216 tourists. There was a 32.5 percent increase in the number of Russian tourists compared to the same period last year. Russia was followed by Germany with 2 million 108 thousand 816 visitors. There was also a 17.34 percent increase in German tourists. There was an increase of 14.58 percent in the UK market, which ranked third, and 39.2 percent in Poland, which ranked fourth. After Poland, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan and Romania were among the countries sending the most tourists. 2.6 million visitors in August In August alone, 2 million 604 thousand 832 tourists visited Antalya, an increase of 10.45 percent compared to last year. Russia ranked first among the countries that sent the most visitors to the city in August, with 525 thousand 337 people. Germany came second with 470 thousand 211 visitors, England third with 205 thousand 569 visitors and Poland fourth with 199 thousand 929 visitors. Poland was followed by the Netherlands, Romania and Kazakhstan.

All-time record in tourism

Turkey hosted a total of 36 million 754 thousand 146 visitors in the first 8 months of 2023. 33 million 426 thousand 940 of the visitors were foreigners, and 3 million 327 thousand 206 were citizens residing abroad. According to the data of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for the first 8 months of the year, there was a 13.95 percent increase in the number of foreign visitors coming to Turkey compared to the same period of the previous year. Among the countries that sent the most visitors to Turkey in the first 8 months, compared to the same period of the previous year; Russian Federation came first with an increase of 44.84 percent and 4 million 351 thousand 254 people, Germany came second with an increase of 6.03 percent and 4 million 82 thousand 994 people, and England came third with an increase of 12.36 percent and 2 million 652 thousand 188 people. These countries were followed by Bulgaria and Iran, respectively. Germany comes first in August The number of foreign visitors coming to Turkey in August this year amounted to 6 million 660 thousand 700, with an increase of 5.65 percent compared to the same month last year. Among the countries sending the most visitors in August: Germany comes first with a 1.52 percent increase and 871 thousand 270 people compared to the same month of the previous year, the Russian Federation comes second with a 5.68 percent increase and 852 thousand 640 people, and the United Kingdom comes third with a 6.96 percent increase and 588 thousand 448 people. Iran and Poland followed the ranking.