Eid rejuvenates markets after calm Ramadan

ISTANBUL. KAZINFORM Business owners eagerly await Eid al-Fitr, as it is expected to breathe new life into markets after the fasting month of Ramadan, in which business tends to slow down. Restaurant owners, many of whom close up shop during the day throughout Ramadan and often have trouble in finding enough customers in the evening, are hopeful that business will pick up.

Sellers of candy and Turkish delight, which are frequently purchased for Eid-al-Fitr, a three-day religious holiday marking the end of the holy month, are also optimistic. Clothing and shoes salesmen expect sales to increase as well, Today's Zaman reports. Small business owners -- clothing and shoes salesmen in particular -- are expecting the pre-Eid period to bring in better business, according to Bursa Craftsmen and Tradesmen Chambers' Union (BESOB) President Arif Tak. According to Tak, most people prefer to have their iftar at home rather than in a restaurant, which can bring such business to a halt during the holy month. "I think the losses incurred during Ramadan will be recouped during Eid," Tak said. For Turks, sweets are a sine qua non during Eid, which in Turkey is associated with candy as well as religion. A centuries-old tradition of offering sweets to guests during Eid al-Fitr has even led this festival to be called Şeker Bayramı, or "Sugar Festival." Eid traditionally brings a boost to confectionary sales, and Turks are expected to spend TL 500 million on Eid candies this year. Hidayet Kadiroğlu, head of a local confectionery products promotion group, has said they estimate Turkey's total chocolate and candy consumption during Eid at 45 tons. However, Eid al-Fitr's supercharged sales also encourage a price hike in confectionary each year. Some dealers have said that prices jump by as much as 20 percent in markets ahead of Eid, compared to previous weeks.

Tourism facilities, carriers enjoy full capacity

Local tourists going on vacation during Eid al-Fitr have filled up hotel rooms throughout the country, and according to Turkey Hotelier Federation (TÜROFED) President Osman Ayık, this year is likely to be the busiest that the industry has seen in recent years. Meanwhile, Turkey's roads, airways and seaways will be crowded with holiday traffic over the coming Eid al-Fitr break as planes, buses and ferries work overtime to shuttle millions of holiday passengers across the country. Particularly from July 28-30, hotel reservations are extremely high, said Ayık, speaking to the Anadolu news agency, adding that local tourism is continuing to increase. "Local tourists generally prefer to go on vacation during Ramadan, but this year, as in recent years, many of them have decided to stay home. Due to the Ramadan fast, many people have decided to postpone their vacations until Eid, resulting in a serious increase in the demand for hotels. Such facilities have nearly reached full capacity. Our organization represents 2,500 licensed tourist facilities in 13 regions and an additional 400 that are licensed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and very few of these places have available rooms," Ayık said. According to Ayık, local tourists often prefer to spend their vacations in coastal areas, but this year they are frequently opting to experience different cultural, natural and historic locations. "The share of local tourism during the holiday period has shown a 30 percent increase," said Ayık, adding that many local tourists prefer to make vacation plans at the last minute. "Tourist sites preferred by foreign tourists are also enjoying their busiest period. The busy period that coincides with the beginning of the holiday will continue until school begins," said Ayık, who emphasized that those wanting to go on vacation should make reservations as soon as possible, as empty rooms are scarce. During the Eid period, hotels in both coastal and inner regions throughout Turkey feature prices ranging from TL 75 all the way up to $3,000. As millions of people take to the roads, airlines have announced that they will launch 300 additional flights from July 24 to Aug. 4. The fliers said they are having difficulty in meeting demand although tens of thousands of Turks had booked their flights months in advance. In addition to airline firms, intercity bus companies are also working to meet the huge demand. "A total of 345 bus companies serve customers with 8,500 buses in Turkey. ...but we had to add 2,000 more buses to avoid overcrowding," Turkish Fleet Operators' Federation (TOFED) President Mehmet Erdoğan said.