New Alanyans reveal their concerns

A random poll of “new Alanyans” foreign-born residents of Alanya and Turkish inhabitants of the town has revealed a myriad of concerns ranging from excessive attention from shop and restaurant staff to over-development. Alanya could offer an even higher standard of living if problems are addressed promptly and decisively, the city’s residents say.

Foreign-born residents currently make up approximately 12,000 of the 94,000 inhabitants of central Alanya. Turkey’s holiday resorts along the coast of Antalya have welcomed more than 8 million tourists so far this year, according to the Professional Hotel Managers Association of Turkey, or POYD. Alanya received a notable share of this, alongside resorts such as Lara, Side, Kemer, Belek and Olympos.

Irene, 50, who declined to give her surname, came from Ireland to Alanya five years ago. Today she spends most of the year in Alanya, together with her husband who runs a restaurant in town. She said one important problem businesses in Alanya should address is hanutçus, the people who hassle visitors to shop or eat at their establishments. “Shop salesmen are trying to pull people into their shops and this year in particular, customers have been complaining about it,” she said.

In the summer of 2007, the Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or ALTSO, launched its “Respect for our Guests” campaign, during which it distributed brochures to local businesses about the importance of allowing tourists to shop without being continuously approached.

Irene said over the few past years, the situation became slightly better. “However, this year the problem has returned. The staff is more abusive these days. I have heard so many people saying that when you try to ignore the salesmen they get irritated and shout ‘Hey I’m talking to you,’” she told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

At present, a visitor or resident of the town can report harassment to the zabita, or municipal patrol. “But how will an average tourist know to call the zabita?” Irene said, adding that a growing tendency in local hotels toward the all-inclusive system is contributing to the problem. “Competition between restaurants is getting more fierce as the all inclusive system, which is becoming more common, means fewer customers. People don’t eat outside their hotel anymore,” she said.

Ali, a local working in the services sector in Alanya who did not want to disclose his identity, said many shopkeepers are very shortsighted in terms of attracting sales revenue. “A lot of salesmen just think of the revenue they can make today rather than think how people tell about their experience back home and on the Internet. A lot of people are annoyed by the way shopkeepers distract them on the street and how prices of items can change so much from shop to another,” he said.

‘New Alanyans’ reveal their concerns – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review.

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