According to representatives of tourism associations in Bodrum, Turkey, the prices in local restaurants or cafés have reached such high levels that tourists often have to pay more than 10 times the standard price. Tour operators claim that this practice is frightening tourists, who tend to prefer Greece.
Mahmut Kocadan, head of Bodrum’s trade chamber, told Hurriyet Daily News that: “Two bottles of mineral water are sold for 30 Turkish Liras (almost $15). If no urgent measures are adopted, they will kill Bodrum. Tourists who come here eat the most expensive dinner and, to be fair, experience the biggest rip-off in the world.”
Local restaurants and café managers are trying to make as much money as possible in just one summer season. “We hear all the complaints red-faced with shame. The shopkeepers are not aware that they are shooting themselves in the foot,” said Kocadan.
He also noted that even rich tourists who visit Bodrum prefer dining in the Greek islands, which are much cheaper, adding that they prefer cheap snacks instead of going to a restaurant.