Job Discussion Forums

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

I have been reading and watching on the telly how there is something like a 17% reduction is tourist numbers and that Brits are few and far between this year. Various reasons such as bird flu, world cup, shooting of priest etc. are possible reasons.

Some expat sites have been saying that Brits are staying away because of the rip offs and poor service.

Do you feel sorry for the tourist industry or do you feel that tourist often get a raw deal and are not coming here because of that?

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

I think that the bird flu has scared the hell out of many people, and l think that has a lot to do which the fact that the foreign media always blows anything that happens in Turkey completely out of proportion.

A few years ago some dimwit drove his car into a petrol pump and incinerated himself and a few other people. It was an accident. However, in good old Australia, it was reported as a bomb attack. My parents called me to quiz me about it. Now, they are not ones to freak out about that sort of thing. However, such irresponsible reportage does have consequences. l feel that the foreign media needs to start being more careful and taking more responsibility for what they report. Also, some embassy web sites need to be updated. It wasn't that long ago that l checked what our embassy had to say about Turkey. The web site told people to only come here if absolutely necessary and not to gather in crowded places. Crowded places!!! Mmmmm...looks like leaving the house is out of the question then.

Anyway, I suppose that l am off topic a bit, so I'II potter off now.

harry the hobbit · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:39 am Post subject:

Harry has observed that the biggest reason the tourists stay away is they don't recommend Turkey to their friends .The Hobbit has two theories about this issue .The first one maybe that as this is such a beautiful and relatively unspoilt country ,its best to keep it that way make it more exclusive not used and abused by the milling hordes of foreign tourists that are just interested in hedonistic pursuits and have no real feel understanding or love of the country ,culture or its people .The other idea is that as thrifty touched on is the prices of the services that too many restaurant owners and others charge that is clearly a rip off .Most people don't say much or complain anf this makes the said owners /barkeepers bolder and the cycle of high prices goes on,consequently they lose in the long run as people all around the world don't like to be taken for a mug,so in the end Turkey loses its biggest customer base because of greedy people who just want to make a fast buck .

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

I haven't been to any of the big nasty touristic places around Antalya for a long time, and I have never been to Bodrum. I like to potter around quieter climes. I went to Dat�a last summer and found it very well priced. Most evenings my aunt, cousin and l sat at a little wooden table with the Med lapping at our feet. We would have the set menu of �upra or Levrek, a salad, a beer and a meze each and that would cost us 8ytl.

What l am saying is that if you go to a place that is frequented by Brits and Americans, then everthing is going to be more expensive because their foreign currency buys more.

tvik · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 371 Location: here

the tourists aren't coming here anymore because thrifty's posts have gotten so fu?king boring.

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Well, I am not allowed to post about what I want to post.

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

I would like to talk about English Crime's crimes.

tvik · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 371 Location: here

i thought you beat that one to death

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

I'd only just begun.

Golightly · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:09 pm Post subject:

you should do what writers in countries labouring under repressive regimes do- put your woes inside a fable, or under the guise of Magic Realism. That way, you'd be writing something that is clearly fiction, and therefore something noone can protest about, while speaking the truth for all to hear. for example, your story could be about a poor chap who is taken to a big city, to work for an ogre call Emit Shilgne, and his servant, Yllom...... Wink

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

i'd like to read that one. i'll write the sequel Twisted Evil

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

I would need some help with my fable as my story is very long and complicated. I also admit to not fully understanding the magic realism bit.
Perhaps if I start you all could tell me if I am on the right track.

Once upon a time there was an innocent young man who had so little that he had to be so careful with what he had-he was called Thrifty. One day Thrifty saw an advert-it said come to Istanbul "The Queen of Cities" and teach English and make friends. Thrifty hadn't travelled outside his village before-only as far as the forest which was half an hour from the village.

How am I doing so far?

tekirdag · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 505

Good. Keep going.

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Will do.

A few lowlights from part 2:

They lie to Thrifty.

Thrifty loses money.

Thrifty doesn't get picked up at the airport.

Thrifty meets the wicked witch.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397