Greece would not necessarily have to exit the EU when it exits the Euro, and I don't know what would happen. If Greece exits the Euro unilaterally but wants to stay in the EU I don't know whether expulsion would be likely. There is actually a paper on this topic which argues that it would be possible for a country to leave the eurozone without leaving the EU: http://www.tilj.org/content/journal/48/num2/Dammann125.pdf
Lots of Europeans do travel to Turkey. Funnily enough I am currently on a trip from the EU to Turkey. Here's a few facts to consider:
- I have to exchange Euros to Turkish Liras, and for tourists the exchange rates are not good.
- A flight to Turkey cost me about €200 while a flight to Greece is far cheaper even thought he distance is similar.
- It's very expensive to call my family from Turkey. Calling from Greece is cheap due to the EU.
- My bank card is not accepted everywhere, whereas in Greece I believe it would be.
- I have to get a visum for Turkey.
- Travel insurance for Turkey is more expensive.
- An european car trouble emergency service membership works in Greece but not in Turkey.
- The prices in Turkey are far cheaper than in Greece. Greece could adjust their prices to Turkish levels (and likely would have to) after leaving the euro and EU, but then they earn far less of course.
Subjectively I do feel safer in Greece because they are in the EU. Also perhaps some Europeans would not travel to Greece because of perceived anger from Greeks to the rest of the EU, or they wouldn't travel to Greece out of spite if they default on European debt.
That's what I thought too, too: exit from euro does not have to mean exit from EU.
BTW at least in Istanbul - not necessarily elsewhere in Turkey - you'll shop in many places with cash euros. But yes, there are some places where you actually do need liras. For exchanging cash, I've for a long time depended on withdrawing cash from an ATM; the rate is better than in kiosks in almost any country (particularly better than the rip-offs at my home airport which is close to a scam).
Higher flight prices are possibly due to airport taxes and such things, or just random air ticket pricing quirkiness, probably not EU. From where I live, flights to Istanbul that I sampled are slightly cheaper than flights to Athens (distance is practically the same).
It is interesting that Turkey requires a visa from a number of EU countries. A visa seems really simple to get, though (on arrival at airport).
The recent Greek hyperbolic anger against Germans is one thing that discourages me from going there as tourist (I'm not German, but I might be mistaken for one). In that, Tsipras and his crowd are not doing a great service on their country. But maybe it was what they needed to do in order to win elections and then explain why things don't start improving overnight.
Yes, it may be irrational, but I do think that's what many people fear. Even if you don't expect any real problems, the feeling that you are not appreciated in another country can easily make people decide to visit another country instead.
BTW, Turkey recently changed the rules regarding visas; now you cannot get a visum at the airport any more, you need to apply and pay online and print out the application form, which you exchange for a visum at the border. It's still easy, but these small hurdles do add up.
Lots of Europeans do travel to Turkey. Funnily enough I am currently on a trip from the EU to Turkey. Here's a few facts to consider:
- I have to exchange Euros to Turkish Liras, and for tourists the exchange rates are not good. - A flight to Turkey cost me about €200 while a flight to Greece is far cheaper even thought he distance is similar. - It's very expensive to call my family from Turkey. Calling from Greece is cheap due to the EU. - My bank card is not accepted everywhere, whereas in Greece I believe it would be. - I have to get a visum for Turkey. - Travel insurance for Turkey is more expensive. - An european car trouble emergency service membership works in Greece but not in Turkey. - The prices in Turkey are far cheaper than in Greece. Greece could adjust their prices to Turkish levels (and likely would have to) after leaving the euro and EU, but then they earn far less of course.
Subjectively I do feel safer in Greece because they are in the EU. Also perhaps some Europeans would not travel to Greece because of perceived anger from Greeks to the rest of the EU, or they wouldn't travel to Greece out of spite if they default on European debt.