A DIDIM commerce leader has painted a bleak picture for the resort’s 2015 tourism season.

“2015 tourist season does not look good,” said Atilla Hikmet, Didim Chamber of Commerce Strategy Committee Chairman and Member of Parliament.

Atilla said that with the end of the last tourism season, work gets underway for the following one. He said: “”Time is running out fast for the tourist season.

“With the arrival of winter, we evaluate the start of the season with every day. According to early information currently, the predictions for the 2015 tourism season do not look good.”

He suggested that early reservations are “going weak” and there had been “partial cancellations”.

He cited the Middle East conflict, problem in Russia and Ukraine, and the continuing recovery of the European economy as the basis for the news.

Mr Hikmet said alternative markets needed to be looked at, starting with the Greek islands, such as the links with Kos.