Alanya was promoted at the "International Fair of Tourism (IFT) Belgrade," an international fair held in the capital of Serbia, Belgrade. At the Alanya stand, which was located within the 302 square meter promotional area of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, Mehmet Çelik, an official from the Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV), conducted promotional activities and meetings. Additionally, Hüseyin Darı, the manager of Peninsula Alanya, gave interviews to members of the press and held meetings with travel agents and tour operators, making a significant contribution to Alanya's promotional efforts. Çelik stated that hotel and agency operators from Alanya participated in IFT Belgrade, which opened its doors for the 40th time this year, in greater numbers than in the previous year, and that early booking figures were at a satisfactory level for Turkey. "RESERVATIONS INCREASED BY 100%" Providing information about the meetings he held, Çelik said, "In a meeting with Mehmet Gündüz from 1A Travel, a leading tour operator in Serbia, we learned that there has been a 100% increase in reservations compared to 2017. Compared to 2015, which was a bright year for our country's tourism, there is a 40% increase in this market. They have moved their planned first flight, originally scheduled for May 25th, to the first week of the same month. They are in talks with Turkish Airlines and Air Serbia regarding an additional flight." "AMBASSADOR IS A SUPPORTER OF ALANYA" Çelik stated that the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Belgrade, Tanju Bilgiç, visited the Alanya stand, and added, "As always, Mr. Ambassador stood by our side and stated that he is carefully following Alanya's promotional efforts in the field of tourism, and that he is ready to provide the necessary support, as he has done in previous years." "SERBIAN POPSTAR ANA KOKIÇ SHOT A MUSIC VIDEO IN ALANYA" Çelik emphasized that the music video shot by Serbian popstar Ana Kokiç with another artist, Pedja Jovanovic, with the support of ALTAV, has made a significant contribution to promotion. "She is a famous artist, and this music video is still being watched on TV. ALTAV's efforts of this kind are continuous and provide significant contributions to our country in this market." "THEY COULDN'T FIND THE SAME QUALITY ELSEWHERE" Explaining that the mutual visa exemption agreement between the two countries brings the people who have historical ties even closer together, Çelik said, "Due to problems experienced in previous years, the guests we received from this market have shifted to Greece and Spain, but they have not been able to find the same balance in terms of hygiene, service, hospitality, and price in those countries. A longing for a vacation in Turkey has developed among Serbians who were forced to interrupt their vacations in Turkey, and this is reflected in the 2018 reservation figures."