Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy evaluated the efforts to promote Turkey and this year’s tourism targets. Minister Ersoy said, “We exceeded the targets for 2021 in tourism. If we evaluate this success in numbers, we hosted a total of 30 million 38 thousand visitors in 2021 with an increase of 88% compared to the previous year, and we exceeded the psychological limit of 30 million.”
The Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Fair (EMITT), which brings together the world’s tourism professionals and holiday consumers for the 25th time in Istanbul, has started.
Speaking at the opening at Istanbul TUYAP Fair and Congress Center, Ersoy said that EMITT is an important organization that shapes the tourism industry on a global scale.
Pointing out that Turkish tourism gained a pleasing momentum in 2021 after a difficult 2020, Ersoy said:
“We have exceeded the 2021 targets in tourism, both by successfully implementing the ‘Safe Tourism Certificate Program’, which was implemented last year, and by taking the right promotional steps abroad under the coordination of the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA). If we evaluate this success in numbers, we hosted a total of 30 million 38 thousand visitors in 2021, an increase of 88% compared to the previous year, and we exceeded the psychological limit of 30 million. In 2021, our tourism income has reached a total of $24.5 billion with an increase of 103% compared to the previous year.”
Ersoy stated that in 2022, under the coordination of TGA, they will carry out special promotions for tourist profiles from Central Europe, England, Baltic countries, Gulf countries and the USA, “This year, our advertising campaigns will continue on television in 21 countries, digital in 86 countries, and over 200 printed publications in 15 countries. We will accelerate our PR activities by hosting press members, opinion leaders and tour operators from at least 60 countries in our country.”
When he examined the figures for the first 40 days of this year, Ersoy pointed out that the daily limit data was more than twice that of last year, and emphasized that the target of $35 billion for 2022 should be increased even more.
“IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ISTANBUL BECOME A WORLD-FAMOUS GASTRONOMY CITY”
Minister Ersoy stated that with the New Airport and Galataport, Istanbul has the best of the international transportation infrastructure needed for the rapid increase in tourists after the epidemic, and continued his words as follows:
“It is of great importance for us that Istanbul, which is a unique tourism center, is introduced to the world not only with its nature and geography, but also with its historical values, archaeological artifacts, registered structures and cultural assets. In this context, last year we held the first International Beyoğlu Culture Road Festival, which brings together many different disciplines from culture and art, which is one of the most value-added aspects of tourism, to architecture, literature, design and theatre, and where we bring together thousands of local and foreign artists and people from all walks of life. With more than 2,800 artists and 7.8 million visitors, the second of the festival, which is Turkey’s largest cultural and artistic event, will be held on 28 May-12 June with a much larger international participation. It is also very important for us that Istanbul can become a world-famous gastronomy city. For this purpose, TGA works very hard. Hopefully, we will achieve significant gains as of May.”
Expressing that it is a great advantage for Turkey that EMITT Fair brings together the world’s leading tourism representatives under the same roof, Ersoy underlined that while applying the concept of safe tourism, they are working to add a new dimension to this concept.
Ersoy also stated that they have moved the “Safe Tourism Certificate”, which was implemented during the epidemic period, to the second stage as the “Safe and Green Tourism Certificate”. He shared the information that they signed an agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, one of the accredited companies accepted as an authority in the field, and announced this to the whole world.
“A PERFECT PROJECT WAS SIGNED WITH ITS SAFE TOURISM CERTIFICATE”
Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya continued his words, which started by wishing EMITT Fair to be beneficial and auspicious for the tourism of Turkey and Istanbul:
“As Istanbul, we reached an excellent figure in tourism in 2019. However, with the epidemic that started in 2020, everything has changed all over the world, especially in production, supply, logistics, in every field we know or do not know. The fact that our minister came from within the industry, he knew very well what the competition in international tourism is, and the heroism of our state, our nation and all our health workers in the fight against the epidemic brought us such a stance. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has signed an excellent project called Safe Tourism Certificate.”
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu pointed out that Istanbul hosted 15 million tourists in 2019 and stated that it is necessary to fight to exceed this number in the post-epidemic period.
Emphasizing that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has been carrying out important works for the promotion and marketing of Turkey for many years, Imamoglu said, “Especially, we cared, and continue to care, to be a close stakeholder in the struggle of this process, with the perspective of what we can do to establish the Istanbul Tourism Platform and to put forward a consensus, consensus with all stakeholders, and to contribute to tourism.”
Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TUROFED) President Sururi Corabatir pointed out that EMITT is one of the world’s largest fairs serving the promotion of Turkey and the tourism sector, and emphasized the importance of reaching pre-epidemic figures in tourism.
Corabatir underlined that the domestic market supported the tourism sector during the Covid-19 epidemic and continued his words as follows:
“Please pay attention to our quotas and prices allocated to the domestic market due to the introduction of foreign markets in 2022. In our competitors Spain, France and Germany, domestic market movements are watching much more than we do. Tourism is a service sector and the biggest problem of the service sector in the coming years will be human resources. At the end of last year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of National Education realized a project together. Within the scope of this project, training with job guarantee and language training started. As a pilot project, we signed it in Istanbul. I would like to thank our tourism personnel and professionals working in this difficult period for their devoted work.”
Also, EMITT Fair Director Hacer Aydin, Hyve Group Regional Director Kemal Ulgen, Turkish Tourism Investors Association President Oya Narin and Turkish Airlines Deputy General Manager Ahmet Olmis made speeches.
After the opening speeches, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Istanbul Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Coskun Yilmaz and their accompanying guests visited the fair and received information from the authorities.
Minister Ersoy visited stands in Bodrum, Canakkale, Midyat, Marmaris, Hatay and Aksaray, watched the local shows and took souvenir photos with the visitors of the fair.
ABOUT EMITT
Organized by the Hyve Group, EMITT is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Turkish Airlines, and in partnership with the Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED) and the Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD).
Organized for the 25th time this year, the fair hosts 14 countries including Russia, Malta, Bulgaria, Seychelles, Serbia, Kosovo, Pakistan, Jordan, TRNC, Palestine, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The fair, which can be accessed from the address “www.emittistanbul.com” for detailed information, will continue until February 12.
Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz