The international travel fair "Ferie For Alle" took place in Herning, Denmark. Alanya was represented at the fair by the Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV). Şükrü Cimrin, a member of the Board of Directors of ALTAV and the Alanya Tourism Operators Association (ALTİD), stated that they participated in "Ferie For Alle," the most important travel fair in Denmark, under the stand of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey. "Ferie For Alle," the largest tourism consumer fair in the entire Scandinavian region, was visited by approximately 65,000 people over three days. At the Ministry's stand, Didim and Bodrum also participated, representing their respective regions. ALTAV provided extensive support to the fair. In addition, visitors were informed about new initiatives such as the Alanya Ultra Marathon and new tourist attractions like the cable car. Promotional brochures for the Alanya Ultra Marathon race, Alanya maps, and maps of Alanya's outdoor hiking trails generated great interest among Danish travelers.
"FAMILIES CHOOSE FACILITIES WITH ACTIVITIES"
Cimrin stated that during the fair, he visited the stands of tour operators bringing Danish tourists to Alanya and had discussions with them to gather information about their plans for Turkey and Alanya. In a meeting with Henrik Sondergaard, manager of the Primo, Suncharter, and Arhus Charter groups, it was mentioned that they were adding an extra plane to Antalya Airport this year and were considering a second extra flight for the high season. Carsten Terp Hansen, manager of Suncharter, confirmed the increase and noted that the activities offered by facilities are increasingly influencing vacation decisions, and families pay close attention to this.
"35% OF PASSENGERS WILL LAND AT GZP"
In a meeting with Aytaç Yılmaz, General Manager of Detur Denmark, it was stated that they are planning to start the season in early May and continue until the end of October, with a planned 40% increase compared to 2017, and they are focused on achieving this. It was also noted that 35% of the Danish tourists they will bring to the Antalya region will land at Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport (GZP), which was particularly encouraging.
"SALES HAVE INCREASED IN PROPORTION TO LAST YEAR"
In discussions with managers at Thomas Cook - Spies, Carlos Cebrian, Product Manager, stated that sales in Turkey are 30-40% better than last year and that they are planning to increase further compared to last year, and they want to increase the number of flights to GZP.
"ALANYA IS SUNWEB'S FAVORITE"
In a meeting with Deniz Jensen, Manager of Sunweb Denmark, it was learned that they are planning a 50% increase for 2018 compared to 2017, and due to the excellent sales, they are adding two extra flights, with 70% of their total Turkish capacity being allocated to Alanya. Sunweb will start its flights at the end of March and continue its summer operations until the end of October. According to information obtained in a meeting with Ercan Seçilmiş, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mixx Travel, Mixx Travel is also planning an increase for 2018, and 95% of their total capacity will be Alanya.
"MEETINGS WERE HELD REGARDING PRESS EVENTS"
In addition to tour operators, we had the opportunity to meet with our Danish Ambassador, Mr. Uğur Kenan İpek, who visited the Turkish stand, and we presented him with a panel featuring Alanya silk cocoons. We also held meetings with Mr. Onur Gözet, Director of the Promotion Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, who came to Denmark to observe the fair and make contacts. During these meetings, we evaluated the work done in collaboration between the Alanya region and the Ministry, and exchanged ideas on what could be done in the future. We also discussed with Mr. Serkan Binyar, our Turkish Airlines (THY) manager in Copenhagen, about our request for support regarding transportation for future press events from Denmark, and we received information about THY's plans for flights to Alanya and Antalya.
"AVERAGE INCREASE IS 30%"
Based on the discussions and planning figures we have obtained, we can say that the decline has stopped and the upward trend has begun again. An average increase of 30% is planned for 2018. If additional planes can be found as needed during the season, this figure could become even more positive.
"PRICES ARE HIGH IN SPAIN"
When looking at sales of Turkish holidays, all operators unanimously stated that sales are much better than the same period last year. They attribute the renewed increase in sales in Turkey to the gradual decrease in concerns related to Turkey. In addition, the lack of new facilities in Spain and the unwillingness to compromise on extraordinary price increases are causing tour operators to prefer Turkey, which still offers very attractive prices.
"IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO REACH THE 2014-2015 FIGURES"
Danish tourists, who enjoy experiencing the city they visit and eating at different restaurants, represent an important customer profile not only for hotel operators but also for other tourism businesses. It has been observed that Denmark, which is less affected by negative developments compared to other Northern European countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Finland, will take several years to reach the figures we longed for in 2014-2015.
"GZP IS INCREASING GUEST SATISFACTION"
Another encouraging aspect for Alanya is the increasing interest of tour operators in GZP and their prioritization of it in their plans. Operators who plan to fly to our airport are expressing that the satisfaction rate of Alanya guests arriving at GZP is higher.