Early bookings from Europe are boosting Turkish tourism sector prospects ahead of a new season, with a 20% rise in such bookings when compared to this year, according to sector representatives.
“The initial reservations come from the British market, followed by Germany. We are observing a 20% increase in early bookings compared to 2023,” said Kaan Kavaloğlu, the head of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB).
In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Kavaloğlu emphasized sustainability as a global concern in tourism, adding that the number of people living within a four-hour flight proximity to Türkiye stands at 800 million.
Highlighting that Türkiye was the first country to make an agreement with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) for sustainable tourism, Kavaloğlu said: “Climate change is a very serious issue for us. We know that it poses a grave risk and we want to raise awareness about it.”
“As tourism professionals and hoteliers, we are aware of this. There is a sustainable tourism certification program. All our hotels are included in the first stage of this certification program. Work on the second and third stages is ongoing,” he explained.
Many hotels have completed all three stages and become the owners of this certification, he further noted.
“Thousands of our hotels, understanding the importance of this issue, have obtained the certificate through serious efforts,” he said.
Kavaloğlu also said that the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) effectively uses this in its marketing strategy while highlighting that the Culture and Tourism Ministry has also put forth its vision for sustainable tourism.
Describing that tourism professionals are followers of this vision, he also recalled future goals of the sector, emphasizing the increasing interest of tourists from the U.K. and Poland in addition to the main market consisting of visitors from Russia and Germany.
“In the near future, we have a goal of 100 million guests and $100 billion in revenue. We have almost reached this year’s target of 60 million tourists and $56 billion.By hosting more than 15 million tourists, Antalya surpassed the record year of 2019 in tourism,” he said.
Recalling that the number of tourists arriving from the U.K. exceeded the 1 million mark for the first time last year, Kavaloğlu pointed out they expect this number to transcend 1.5 million this year.
“The Polish market has become a significant source, surpassing 1 million tourists. Poland has become our fourth source market,” he added.
As part of their efforts to ensure a better season, Kavaloğlu mentioned the attendance at the WTM 2022 (World Travel Market) International Tourism Fair held in London, where they obtained the first data on marketing activities.
“It will be Türkiye’s and Antalya’s year in tourism. Bookings have started well for 2024. The first reservations come from the British market, then from Germany. We see a 20% increase in early bookings compared to 2023.”
“We need to ensure its continuity. We follow the developments in the nearby geography. A world tourism without Türkiye and Antalya is unimaginable,” he maintained.
Source: dailysabah