Tax increase on alcohol

[smc4761]

I noticed the following link on the holiday truths website regarding another tax increase on alcohol

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php? ... 2010-11-01

It will be interesting to see how/if this affects the number of tourists going to Turkey. I appreciate that drinking is not the be all and end all of ourholidays but it will affect a large number of people and put even more strain on people on tight budgets going abroad

Stewart

[JT]

Exactly the same in every country Stewart, ours more than others.

If anything it hurts the Turkish people themselves who do like a drink or two and especially for the Raki drinkers.

Maybe all inclusives will now go up a lot in price which will, as I have seen in words on many Turkish tourism sites "deter the cheaper lower end of the market tourists from coming to Turkey and attract other people with money to spend in the resorts instead of giving it all to a hotel owner then do nothing but complain".

Not my words but I think you will know what they mean.

Upping the price of alcohol will make hopefully some of the cheap all inclusives that give Turkey a bad name now close down or go back to B+B, this will in turn then maybe get rid of some of the too many bars in the resorts and maybe the others that are left be really nice ones.

Whatever happens people will still go on holiday but maybe not go out as much but I don't know about that either.

You have to remember that not everyone that goes on holiday is going away somewhere for a "cheap deal" or "cheap drinks" and some don't care what they spend as long as they have a good time.

There are also lots of people who don't book the low end ( and please everyone don't take this as an insult or the wrong way at all) as in apartments for a few quid a night as they fill the 5 star hotels in the resorts and not all are all inclusive but they use them as a comfortable base then enjoy the resort in the evening.

Hopefully the increases will not do that much harm but what do you do? go to Bulgaria as the booze is cheaper hmm but not everyone goes for the booze but then doesn't Bulgaria get the euro next year so everything will rocket there like it did in Greece when they got it.

There is of course India but you can't just grab a last minute deal as you need a visa before hand and even there people are complaining that everything is going up ( I think beer is getting near to £1.30 a bottle now )

Whatever happens I hope everyone can still afford to "escape" to their favourite places or maybe find another.

[travelingscot52]

I think I will have to trade Elaine in for a tee total younger model (just as well she cant use the computer)

but joking aside I think it will affect the resorts the average person on holiday is on a budget and that is what they will spend it might just spread it around a bit more. Less in bars and perhaps more in resturants and I am sure some of the tatty bars will close. We will just have to save up more pennies if we want a dram

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

hopefully it wont increase the price of drinks too much as i know turkish drinks are not the cheapest already
everyone likes a drink on holiday so hopefully it wont put the price of the holiday up too much for season 2011
but as John pointed out if it stops people going all inclusive and gives the restaurant owners more business then im fall for it as long as its not too much
xxxxx

[dksbbs]

I will have the same budget to spend therefore if it means reducing by a couple of drinks a day at a bar thats the way it will be, I may need to have a few more drinks of cheaper beer from the supermarket on the balcony instead.

Next year I will spend the same but less will go to the businesses as they will need to give the government more.

I think if a lot the restaurants didn't try to scam the tax man by putting lower cost bills on our tables and only declaring those the tax man wouldn't be looking to raise taxes via other means.

Dave

[art deuchars]

Dont you think tourists will may be have an extra 1 or 2 out of the duty free ,instead of just one before going out.
May be even go back to appartment early, and have one or two on the balcony.
what ever hapens it will be the young waiters that are allready working for a pittance who will suffer.

[smc4761]

Art deuchars I would agree with your comment about spending less on drinks perhaps having one or 2 drimks less in the bars. What some bar owners may also do is to perhaps not oncrease the drinks prices a lot but add the cost of this onto the food bills, which means that those who do not drink may end up paying the extra.

My big concern is that this year I have not had a pay rise, VAT etc is up so things will be tight on my budget, and I am sure many others are in the same boat If we all spend less on going out this may result in some bars closing. I tend to go early season eg mid May and how some of the bars made any money is beyons me, so if we are all spending less.............

Stewart

[madazahatter]

Whilst I agree with other posts that the price of alcohol is not the be all and end all of a holiday it is for the majority a serious consideration.
Having taken into account price of holiday and spending money etc in the total cost of my holidays Turkey is fast becoming as expensive as other European holiday destinations.
I'm currently looking at my options for next year and finding 4 star all inclusive hotels in the Carribean a similar price option to a fortnight in Icmeler in not too fancy a B+B hotel.

At the end of the day customers will vote with their feet and everywhere will find it's level. I did notice this year that more of the bars were empty and a lot more people were cramming themselves into the less attractive but cheaper bars.

Hope the authorities get their act together and do not conspire to take the gloss off what is a fantastic place to spend a hard earned break.

[icmeler1sttimer]

Does the increase include Efes? I don't really do spirits so hopefully it won't affect me

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

not sure but im sure the increase will be on all alcohol
so im guessing efes will be affected too
unless its just imported drinks
no idea though sorry i cant help too much
xxxxx

[smc4761]

Unfortunately I believe that it is on all alcohol, the increase. I would expect the bars in Icmeler to typically start to charge around 5 lira, for an Efes instead of 4 lira as it was this year

Stewart

[JT]

Sugar can't count to 5

[juju]

We will all see an increase in VAT in january which will affect alcohol as well as pretty near everything else we all need and use.I work for a huge hospitality and leisure company and we don't know how much more customers will be expected to pay.Hopefully in Icmeler the competition will keep the costs down.I remember being quite concerned when we were going out there this year after reading about price increases, and we were pleasantly surprised.Hopefully won't be too bad next year.....please!