Turkey in the Top 5 for September Holidays: Mid-Season Demand Strengthens

The holiday calendar for European travelers is shifting beyond July and August. eSky's September 2026 bookings indicate that Mediterranean destinations are gaining a strong share from this change.

In September bookings, Spain ranks first with 27.9%, followed by Greece with 17%, Italy with 10%, Turkey with 6.5%, and Bulgaria with 6%. Accordingly, Turkey is positioned as the fourth country with the most bookings for September among eSky data.

There is an important methodological distinction here: This ranking does not reflect the travel of tourists worldwide or all European tourists. The data is based on reservations made by eSky customers. Therefore, it would not be accurate to interpret the 6.5% figure as Turkey's total share in the European September tourism market.

However, the annual change in the same data set provides a stronger signal for tourism businesses. eSky reports that September bookings have increased by 57% compared to last year. This growth indicates that early autumn is increasingly becoming an independent travel period.

“Super September” is becoming a new travel behavior

The rise in September travel is not only seen in eSky bookings.

The British travel industry organization ABTA highlights the trend of “Super September” in its 2026 Travel Trends report. According to ABTA data, the proportion of those planning to take an overseas holiday in September was 17% in 2023, rising to 23% in 2024 and approximately 24% in 2025.

Several factors are behind this change.

The fact that air temperatures remain suitable for holidays in many Mediterranean destinations throughout September, lower density compared to July-August, and declining transportation prices on some routes can change travel dates.

Couples, adult groups, retirees, and flexible workers, especially those without children, can more easily step outside the peak season as they are not bound by school holiday calendars.

These customer segments create a different revenue opportunity for hotels.

September should not only be sold with low-season discounts

In the classic seasonal approach of hotels, the end of August is often one of the periods when prices are rapidly reduced.

However, if the change in demand structure continues, automatically evaluating September as a "discount period" could lead to revenue loss.

It is more accurate for revenue management teams to manage September prices based on current booking pace rather than past habits.

For example, if a property reached 60% occupancy as of September 1 last year and is at 80% on the same date this year, it may be unnecessary to apply discounts based on the old season rate.

The business can track the following indicators weekly:

• Booking arrival pace

• Occupancy by source market

• Average daily room rate

• Cancellation rate

• Average length of stay

• Distribution of direct and OTA bookings

• ADR difference between September and August

The goal is not to automatically maintain the price of the high season; it is to see how strong the demand really is.

Turkey's advantage is its ability to extend summer

It is no coincidence that all five countries in the eSky data are located in southern Europe or around the Mediterranean.

Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and Bulgaria can offer warm weather, beach, and city experiences even in early autumn. eSky manager Marcin Starkowski defines the common feature of these destinations as their ability to genuinely extend the summer season.

For Turkey, this advantage is particularly evident in holiday destinations around Antalya, Muğla, İzmir, and their surroundings.

Weather conditions allow for beach holidays throughout September in many regions, while the alleviation of extreme temperatures in July and August makes cultural, nature, and gastronomy activities more feasible.

This creates space for resort hotels to sell not only through pools and beaches but also through destination experiences.

If the season is extended, operations must also extend

The growth in September demand does not only mean additional room sales for hotels.

Staff planning must also change accordingly.

Seasonal workers' contracts end at the end of August, some restaurants close, or animation and event programs shrink; even if the hotel continues to sell rooms, the guest experience may fall below high season levels.

This situation is particularly critical in resorts.

A guest may have paid a lower price in September, but they do not automatically accept that half of the services offered by the hotel are closed.

Therefore, the season extension strategy should also include the following operations:

When F&B outlets will provide full service until.

How the number of employees will be matched with occupancy.

How long seasonal staff contracts will be extended.

Whether transfer and tour services will continue.

Working schedule for spa, kids club, or entertainment services.

If the commercial extension of the season and the actual reduction of operations occur simultaneously, customer satisfaction may be at risk.

September customers may have different spending behaviors

The mid-season guest should not be assumed to be merely a customer looking for lower prices.

Customer groups seeking to escape the crowds, travel focused on gastronomy or culture, and looking for a more tranquil experience also prefer September.

This presents a separate opportunity for F&B businesses.

Resort restaurants that provide more standard service due to high volume during the busy summer months can develop smaller-scale products such as tasting menus, local producer experiences, vineyard or farm visits, and gastronomy routes during September.

The hotel's goal may be to increase total revenue per customer rather than just filling the empty room at the end of the season.

Even if the room price remains lower than in August, when restaurant, spa, experience, and activity spending is strong, the total guest value can reach satisfactory levels.

Declining flight prices are affecting destination demand

One of the factors supporting the appeal of September in eSky data is the decline in flight prices.

For example, there are significant price differences in flights from Brussels to Spain between July and September. A round-trip ticket to Málaga drops from 278 euros to 148 euros, Madrid from 219 euros to 114 euros, and Asturias from 299 euros to 106 euros.

These examples do not cover Turkey routes; therefore, it cannot be concluded that the same price drop occurs in Turkey flights.

However, it shows the role of transportation costs in mid-season demand.

What is important for hotels is not only to compare their room prices with competitors but to understand the total travel cost for the guest.

Even if the flight ticket is cheap, keeping the hotel price the same can lower the guest's total holiday budget and make the destination more competitive.

Turkey is strong, but there are different signals in source markets

While Turkey's rise to fourth place in eSky bookings is a positive indicator, the same trend is not observed across all of the country's source markets.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's June 2026 data, the most foreign visitors to Turkey come from Russia, followed by Germany in second place and the United Kingdom in third. However, arrivals from Germany and the United Kingdom recorded a decline compared to the same month last year.

Therefore, a general assessment like "Turkey demand is strong" is not sufficient for hotels.

Booking behaviors of German, British, Russian, or Polish guests may vary.

The season extension strategy should be developed on a source market basis.

While demand in one market may rise in September, family holidays in another market may quickly end at the end of August due to the school calendar.

Mid-season tourism can also contribute to employment

One of the main problems of coastal tourism in Turkey is seasonal employment.

While many employees are hired during the high season, operations can shrink by September or October.

Spreading demand over September and October can contribute to the longer employment of seasonal workers.

This is advantageous not only for the workers but also for the business.

Finding, hiring, and training new employees every season creates significant operational costs. As the season extends, it may be possible to keep experienced employees on the team for a longer time.

However, for this to happen, demand needs to spread permanently over the shoulder season rather than just a few strong weeks.

Stafflink's view

In our opinion, the most important aspect of Turkey's fourth place with a 6.5% share in eSky customers' September bookings is not the ranking itself.

The real signal is that September is no longer the end of the season but has become a separate travel period.

Turkey's climate advantage can facilitate this change. However, merely having hotel rooms available for sale is not enough for the season to extend.

Staff planning, restaurants, activities, transportation, and destination services must also be carried over to the same period.

The correct goal for businesses should not be to "increase occupancy by offering more discounts in September" but to understand which customer segment the September demand is coming from and extend the season profitably.

When mid-season is managed correctly, it can mean not only more visitors for Turkish tourism but also a longer employment period, more balanced capacity utilization, and a reduction in high-season pressure.