Turkish Coast: Antalya Minus Its Russian Tourists
Nearly 3 million Russians visit Antalya every year, making it Turkey's most popular tourist destination for Russian speakers. But a diplomatic feud between Ankara and Moscow has buffeted the industry on the Turkish riviera. (Photographs by Vaiva Katinaityte)
![The Kremlin Palace Hotel, popular among Russian tourists visiting Antalya, echoes Russia's famed seat of power in Moscow.](https://gdb.rferl.org/0304edd2-296e-4aa6-8b31-ca25acdb7d4a_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The Kremlin Palace Hotel, popular among Russian tourists visiting Antalya, echoes Russia's famed seat of power in Moscow.
![In early December, the sandy beach behind the Kremlin Palace Hotel lies largely empty. Even in low seasons in the past, however, Russian tourists visited Antalya for its warm temperatures.](https://gdb.rferl.org/a8e2d365-ea0a-456d-a569-9e66e78a0233_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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In early December, the sandy beach behind the Kremlin Palace Hotel lies largely empty. Even in low seasons in the past, however, Russian tourists visited Antalya for its warm temperatures.
![The Matryoshka Park, with its oversized Russian nesting dolls and the white, blue, and red of the Russian tricolor, is located in Antalya's Konyaalti district.](https://gdb.rferl.org/f41aa4ca-2ea0-4073-8f15-e4b5ce2b737c_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The Matryoshka Park, with its oversized Russian nesting dolls and the white, blue, and red of the Russian tricolor, is located in Antalya's Konyaalti district.
![The five-star Hotel Delphin Palace caters to some of the huge number of Russian tourists that visit this coastal resort city each year.](https://gdb.rferl.org/a43d747f-d3e3-4dac-a7ca-716e954ee0e2_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The five-star Hotel Delphin Palace caters to some of the huge number of Russian tourists that visit this coastal resort city each year.
![One of the many sparkling souvenir shops clustered around the hotels that Russian tourists frequent. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/26883575-19eb-4f8c-b941-fd84e08e31dc_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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One of the many sparkling souvenir shops clustered around the hotels that Russian tourists frequent.
![Ahmet Hamdi Karagoz, owner of Antalya's Olbia Hotel, says Antalya's tourist infrastructure, its proximity to Moscow -- just a 2 1/2-hour flight -- and the two countries' visa-free relations have made the resort city "perfect" for Russians.](https://gdb.rferl.org/51406f67-ffbf-4609-a209-ca9f6ae8d82e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Ahmet Hamdi Karagoz, owner of Antalya's Olbia Hotel, says Antalya's tourist infrastructure, its proximity to Moscow -- just a 2 1/2-hour flight -- and the two countries' visa-free relations have made the resort city "perfect" for Russians.
![The restaurant of the Olbia Hotel, like the hotel itself, was virtually empty on this early December weekend.](https://gdb.rferl.org/c618c348-eea5-4740-a227-eb624757d483_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The restaurant of the Olbia Hotel, like the hotel itself, was virtually empty on this early December weekend.
![Employees say business at Antalya's Mudem Tour travel agency, which relies heavily on Russian customers, is at a standstill.](https://gdb.rferl.org/b30978f3-f12e-46b1-9c69-914d43082671_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Employees say business at Antalya's Mudem Tour travel agency, which relies heavily on Russian customers, is at a standstill.
![A fur and leather shop in Antalya that has drawn brisk business in the past. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/9eac0182-9fec-4eb3-a692-3d02a3965551_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A fur and leather shop in Antalya that has drawn brisk business in the past.
![Sea Life, a spa hotel in central Antalya, is also popular among Russian visitors. But many of the hotel's guests are currently from western Europe. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/085e69b8-f9cb-43f7-bcfc-cca1f6561f0d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Sea Life, a spa hotel in central Antalya, is also popular among Russian visitors. But many of the hotel's guests are currently from western Europe.
![The Mamma Ruski restaurant has catered to the sizable Russian expatriate community in Antalya, as well as to the many Russian tourists that poured into the city. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/77cdb56b-39af-4cfa-af7e-c93c8d8803e5_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The Mamma Ruski restaurant has catered to the sizable Russian expatriate community in Antalya, as well as to the many Russian tourists that poured into the city.
![There are more than 300 glitzy, five-star hotels that hug Antalya's coastline. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/b5c441d3-9d43-45cb-9308-e121c2550842_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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There are more than 300 glitzy, five-star hotels that hug Antalya's coastline.
![Antalya's virtually empty beaches are usually buzzing with tourists, even during the winter months when temperatures hover around 20 degrees Celsius.](https://gdb.rferl.org/8aa62eed-acfd-4251-8db5-dfcac3b00bbd_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Antalya's virtually empty beaches are usually buzzing with tourists, even during the winter months when temperatures hover around 20 degrees Celsius.