Here in Istanbul you can’t pass by a shop without someone standing outside and offering to show you their merchandise. These men stand outside all day waiting for you to walk by. As they see you coming they prepare themselves and begin to yell, “Excuse me, would you like to come see my shop”? ” Miss, we have beautiful (fill in the blank) inside” “Are you looking for (fill in the blank) then my shop is the best”
The first day this drove me insane. Why were we being harassed to come into all these shops? Couldn’t they just see I left a very similar shop with bags? These questions ran through my mind as I passed by.
Then on the second night out I met a man at a restaurant who was standing offering free appetizers and desert if we would just come eat at his restaurant. His pricing was good so we decided to stop and eat. I had the opportunity to talk to him and he let me know that business was bad. And not just bad at his restaurant but all over Istanbul. I asked him why and he let me know that thanks to terrorism and political maneuvering tourist were just not coming like before.
I enjoyed my meal and all of my free food and went on my way. The next morning I woke up and went to breakfast like a normal day. When I got back to my hostel I found out that while I was eating a bomb had gone off a mile away and killed 11 people. A mile away!
After spending the morning in our hostel making sure things were okay for us to leave we went out to get lunch. There was no one out. No men were out asking us to come to their shops. We made it to one shop and the owner asked me if I was aware of the “problem” that happened that morning. I let him know I was aware and he then began to explain to me the real state of things.
People are scared to come to Istanbul. There are bombings and terror attacks. No cruise line wants to put their passengers in dangers like that. No people want to risk their lives for vacation.
And in case you didn’t know Turkey is neighbors with Syria, Iraq, and Iran. So that right there is enough for people to say no to a trip to Istanbul.
Tourism in Istanbul has plummeted. Once busy streets are now empty. Restaurants that required reservations days in advance now sit empty. Beautiful mosques and museums that used to have hour long lines just to get inside can now be walked right in.
And you know who suffers for this, the local shop owner and the mom and pop restaurants. These shops are having to sell items at cost just to get by. The restaurants are having to give away food just to get people in the doors. Employees are having to be let go because there just isn’t enough money coming in to cover their salary.
And you know what’s the worst part of it all? I can’t fix it. I want to fix it so bad. I want to tell all of you how beautiful the city is, how friendly the people are, how amazing the food is. I want to get you all on a plane to come and spend your vacation, but it just won’t be enough.
So instead of focusing on me fixing it I will pray for this beautiful city. I will pray for the people I have met. I will pray for the shop owners. And I will trust that God has got it.
