Tiktoker aylinsakaci, a foreigner who is Turkish, has shared her top three travel tips for British tourists looking to visit Turkey in the near future, from saving money to keeping safe.
Tourists have recently been claiming Turkey will become empty “within years” as prices have jumped to such an extent in the most popular destinations.
One said: “I went to Burger King and it was £5 – that’s cheap. I’m sat in this place now – for a burger, it’s £12. For a water, it’s £2 – it’s becoming like London prices.
“My sister, and her little family, said they’re not going to come back again. I’ve seen some posts on here where people are saying, give it a few more years, and Turkey’s going to be dead.”
TikTok user aylinsakaci’s first tip is to help avoid being ripped off by taxis in Turkey, who like to charge foreigners inflated prices. She recommends only hopping in taxis at taxi stops, which are more reliable and more likely to use their meters.
However, if chasing one down, she recommends negotiating the price before starting the journey. aylinsakaci says a 20-minute journey should never cost more than €10 (around £8.40), so to stay alert of being overcharged.
Last year, British tourists were warned over a common taxi scam, with research showing that six out of every 10 Brits had fallen victim to drivers taking a longer route to charge people more.
Matthew Hall, managing director at Hoppa, warned: “Not all taxi drivers are looking to scam tourists. However, being in a foreign country where you don’t know the language or local customs can make you a potential target.
“Always do your research and only use licensed taxis wherever you go. It is important to remain vigilant to reduce the risk of losing your travel money to common scams.”
The TikToker also highlighted the number of stray dogs and cats that roam Turkey’s streets and rural areas. The government estimates that there are around four million stray dogs and another four million cats, the majority of them in Istanbul – as many as 750,000.
A Turkish bill aimed at regulating the millions of dogs moved closer to becoming law in July, with animal rights advocates fearing many of them would be killed or end up in neglected and overcrowded shelters.
The proposed legislation mandates that municipalities collect stray dogs and house them in shelters where they would be neutered or spayed.
Dogs that are in pain, terminally ill, pose a health risk to humans, or are aggressive would be euthanized. Municipalities would be required to build shelters or improve conditions of existing ones by 2028, with mayors failing to meet their responsibilities risking imprisonment of up to two years and people who abandon pets being fined as much as £1,366, according to the Associated Press.
aylinsakaci says, however, that all the strays are harmless and well-looked after.
Finally, the Tiktoker shares the well-kept secret that jewellery stores in Turkey have the ability to exchange money and actually offer better exchange rates. She warns never exchange at the airport.
Airports are often known to have unfavourable exchange rates and high markups to make a profit, with rates significantly higher than those offered by banks or other exchange services.
There are often hidden costs, with the advertised exchange rates not including all the costs, which can result in you receiving less currency than expected. It is recommended to avoid exchanging currency at the airport unless essential.