Sanctions on Russia may limit the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey

Sanctions on Russia may limit the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey

Transcript¹

Russian tourists are usually a major presence and economic boon² to Turkey's coastline. But local merchants worry that they might not be arriving this summer after Russia invaded Ukraine.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

With Russia facing international sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, countries nearby worry about how severe the effects could be on their own economies. Antalya, Turkey, is a popular vacation spot in the region, and businesses there rely on planeloads of Russians coming to the beaches every summer. Shop owners are bracing³ for the reality that those tourists may not be there this season. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports.

PETER KENYON, BYLINE⁴: Last week's meeting here between the top diplomats⁵ from Russia and Ukraine turned out to be of interest to more than just diplomats and journalists. As they exited the hotel, two Turkish security guards stopped me to ask, what happened in there? Did they make peace? Their faces fell as they heard that there had been no progress inside. That meeting occurred at one of Antalya's five-star resorts. But in the central district of this city of over a million people, it's more modest tourism that makes the economic wheels turn. In 2019, more than 13 million visitors came here. And Russians filling the beaches by day and the clubs by night were a big part of that. Standing⁶ in the doorway⁷ of his watch-selling business, 65-year-old Ersan (ph) agrees to talk with a reporter if his last name isn't used. All those interviewed for this story were worried about possible retribution for speaking candidly⁸ about the slumping⁹ economy. Ersan says business isn't just slow, it's almost dead, down by some 80%. He blames the sanctions.

ERSAN: (Through interpreter) We were expecting a lot of Russians this year. But the Russians who come here, they're not going to have money in their pockets. So they're not going to be good for us. They're not going to spend money.

KENYON: At a nearby shopping mall, 26-year-old Ulas (ph) looks around at the empty stores and says, things have been tough ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit. He was hoping this would be his bounce back year. But now, he says, with a war in the region, his hopes are fading.

ULAS: (Through interpreter) So first, the pandemic affected¹⁰ us. Business was down, of course. Then the war happened as well. Here in the city center, it's a problem. The people aren't coming.

KENYON: I went in search of an open travel agency that brings people to these beaches and found 46-year-old Ali (ph). He owns the textile shop across the street. But he agreed to watch his brother's travel agency, which wasn't much of an added burden given how slow it's been.

ALI: Well, yeah, mostly, we're working with Russia because most of the people are coming from Russia - Ukraine as well, coming from Ukraine as well.

KENYON: Interesting mix.

ALI: (Laughter) Well, they are two same folk. But bombing each other is something terrible, you know? We don't understand that situation.

KENYON: Ali says his brother is still getting calls from clients, most lamenting¹¹ that they won't be coming this year.

ALI: He says they are calling like they are sad about this, you know, that they cannot travel. The sanctions, you know, are terrible. And Europe, America still imposes the sanctions on the country. And so this is disturbing everyone (laughter)...

KENYON: Yeah, very much so.

ALI: ...Disturbing us and the world.

KENYON: Meanwhile, economists¹² are warning that President Erdogan's insistence¹³ on keeping interest rates low is hurting other sectors¹⁴ of the economy as well. As prices soar and the Turkish lira slumps¹⁵, it's adding up to a gloomy outlook for the country's tourism hot spots.

Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Antalya, Turkey.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 boon   

n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠

参考例句：

• A car is a real boon when you live in the country.在郊外居住，有辆汽车确实极为方便。
• These machines have proved a real boon to disabled people.事实证明这些机器让残疾人受益匪浅。

3 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

8 candidly   

adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地

参考例句：

• He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。
• Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫，说实话我认为你不讲道理。

9 slumping   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的现在分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Hong Kong's slumping economy also caused a rise in bankruptcy applications. 香港经济低迷，破产申请个案随之上升。
• And as with slumping, over-arching can also be a simple postural habit. 就像弯腰驼背，过度挺直也可能只是一种习惯性姿势。

10 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

11 lamenting   

adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Katydids were lamenting fall's approach. 蝈蝈儿正为秋天临近而哀鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lamenting because the papers hadn't been destroyed and the money kept. 她正在吃后悔药呢，后悔自己没有毁了那张字条，把钱昧下来！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

12 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

14 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 slumps   

萧条期( slump的名词复数 )； （个人、球队等的）低潮状态； （销售量、价格、价值等的）骤降； 猛跌

参考例句：

• Deflation could emerge from simultaneous slumps in the world's three major economies. 如果世界经济三大主体同时衰退，通货紧缩就会出现。
• This is the cycle of economic booms and slumps. 这是经济繁荣和经济萧条的周期变化。