Bodrum: dream beach or price trap? Empty beaches despite 'oath'!

Bodrum: dream beach or price trap? Empty beaches despite 'oath'!

Bodrum, Türkei - bodrum, often referred to as the Saint tropez of Türkiye, is experiencing an unprecedented silence on its beaches this year. While record numbers for tourists with 1,001,944 flight passengers were recorded at the Milas Bodrum airport in 2024, Bodrum remains unusually empty at the beginning of the beach season 2025. It is particularly striking that despite the holiday Eid al-Adha, the beaches are still. This quiet location is primarily due to the exorbitant prices that put up with many potential holidaymakers.

The admission prices for paid beaches have risen by shocking 300 %. Access to the Buddha Bar Beach currently costs 225 euros per day, while other beach clubs demand up to 10,000 Turkish lira (approx. 220 euros). In view of a minimum wage of 22,105 Turkish lira (approx. 600 euros), a visit to the beach proves to be unaffordable for many. The high cost structure has meant that hotels in Bodrum are currently only 60 % occupied, a striking change compared to previous years.

empty beaches and high costs

Not only Bodrum suffers from this situation. Other popular travel destinations in Turkey, such as Çeşme and Datça, also record unusually empty beaches. The high prices in the accommodation and catering industry are mentioned as the main reason for the decline in the number of tourists. The average costs for a visit to the beach in Bodrum or Çeşme are between 4,000 and 5,000 Turkish lira (112 to 140 euros). High -priced beaches even require between 8,000 and 10,000 TL (225 to 281 euros).

It does not stay with the beach visits: An evening in a club for two people can cost between 15,000 and 20,000 Turkish lira (422 to 563 euros). The prices for food have risen sharply; A simple Lahmacun is already available from 300 teaspoons (8.50 euros), while more luxurious restaurants can request prices up to 950 teaspoons (26.80 euros). Even boat tours cost a significant sum of 1,000 to 1,250 euros for a boat with space for six people, without meals.

causes and reactions

Despite the availability of free public beaches, the operators are unable to stop the decline in user numbers. Turkish tourists prefer cheaper alternatives, especially the Greek islands, which not only offer lower prices, but also an uncomplicated visa policy. Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy also brings the decline in the number of tourists in conjunction with the Euro 2024.

hoteliers like Orhan çiftçi see the high prices and infrastructural problems as the main causes of the guests. Price examples illustrate these concerns: While a steak in Bodrum can cost 1,000 TL (28 euros), it is only 400 teaspoons in Greece (11 euros). On social media, the impression is increasingly created that Bodrum is unaffordable. Çiftçi urgently demands price reductions to make Bodrum attractive for vacationers again.

It remains to be seen whether the region can take suitable measures to increase the number of visitors and to establish Bodrum as a first -class holiday destination. Merkur reports of the reduced occupancy, while Hurriyet identified the high prices for the empty beaches.