The Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Fair (EMITT), which began with an opening speech by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, at the İstanbul TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center, hosted Istanbul residents and participants from many regions of the world for 4 days. EMITT, considered one of the four most important tourism fairs in the world, and the largest tourism fair in Turkey, featured promotional activities for Alanya. At the fair, which attracted great interest, the Mayor of Alanya and Chairman of the Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV), Adem Murat Yücel, along with the Member of the Board of Directors of the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TTGA) and the Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED), and the Chairman of the Alanya Tourism Operators Association (ALTİD), Burhan Sili, personally supported the promotional efforts.
Adem Murat Yücel, the Mayor of Alanya, stated in his assessment: "At EMITT, which hosted over 60,000 participants from around the world, we are planning for the upcoming season while also conducting discussions to increase the number of flights to our region." Mayor Sili also stated that they have been in contact with representatives from domestic and international travel agencies, adding: "When we look at the reservations, we see a positive picture. Although there is a slight stagnation in the German market, when we evaluate the Scandinavian, Eastern European, United Kingdom, Russia, and domestic markets, we anticipate reaching a level higher than last year. In our meetings with travel agency representatives who bring tourists to our country, we constantly emphasize Gazipaşa Alanya Airport (GZP). GZP is the most important asset that makes Alanya tourism increasingly valuable each year. We are constantly highlighting the advantages offered by our airport."
The Alanya stand, which hosted intensive discussions between travel agencies, representatives from the accommodation sector, officials from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and tour operators, also welcomed social media influencers and TV program producers for Alanya promotion and project development. "The increasing presence of international trade in the online sphere each year highlights the need to increase promotion in this area. We are therefore focusing on promotional activities," stated President Sili. He also emphasized that Alanya is far ahead of its competitors in terms of price/quality ratio.
Stating that tourism ranks first among strategic sectors in terms of its contribution to the national economy, the Chairman of TÜROFED, Sururi Çorabatır, said, "The domestic market is our insurance. EMITT is an important opportunity for promoting the domestic market in this regard." Chairman Çorabatır also stated that there has been growth in overseas reservation figures, adding, "When we look at reservation and flight plans, there is a noticeable numerical growth in Europe. Districts such as Antalya, Alanya, and Manavgat will be positively affected by this growth."
“A train line could be built between ANTALYA and GAZİPAŞA.”
Kamil Özil, CEO of Meeting Point, stated that Alanya needs to benefit more from its winter tourism operations. "In a significant tourism city like Alanya, transportation should not be a problem. It is necessary for airlines to make Gazipaşa Alanya Airport (GZP) their hub. The long journeys that guests traveling to and from hotels take create a disadvantage. Train transportation could be introduced here. A railway line to be built between Antalya and Gazipaşa would eliminate this obstacle," he said.
‘THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DOMESTIC MARKET IS INCREASING.’
Koray Küçükyılmaz, General Manager of tatilsepeti.com, stated that the global tourism movement relies on a secure environment, adding that developments worldwide are further highlighting the importance of the domestic market. "Overseas markets always carry significant risks. We cannot ignore the domestic market," he said. Küçükyılmaz, who mentioned that the growth in the domestic market is around 15%, stated that 2020 will be a better year than 2019. He also said that Alanya is a tourism region that appeals to domestic guests and is integrated with city life.
‘FINDING ACCOMMODATION WILL BECOME MORE DIFFICULT’
Bora Genç, Online Hotel Management Director of the odamax.com brand, which is part of ETS Tur, stated that January's reservations increased by 110% compared to the same month last year. "The signs for the season are very positive. It will be more difficult to find rooms during the high season than it was before," he said. Genç, explaining that the tourism sector is also keeping up with the digital revolution, said, "Alanya is one of the cities that has adapted to this change the fastest."