ALTİD has begun its 2024 regional evaluation meetings, with the first one held at the Gardenia Hotel for hotel operators in the Kleopatra and Keykubat regions.
Burhan Sili, Chairman of the Alanya Tourism Operators Association (ALTİD), along with board members, held a regional consultation meeting with the participation of hotel operators from the Kleopatra and Keykubat areas. During the meeting, opinions and suggestions regarding the upcoming season were gathered and evaluated. Topics discussed included overseas promotion efforts, the wastewater treatment problem, currency policies, rising costs, the sustainability of the current copyright discount offered by the Music Industry Associations, the accommodation tax, seasonal data for facilities and regions, laws related to Airbnb, the current status of scheduled flights from source markets to Antalya Airport (AYT) and Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport (GZP), personnel incentives to maintain employment during periods when regional facilities are closed, and other related issues. Sili thanked the regional operators for their participation and answered their questions at the end of the meeting.
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TRADE FAIRS"
Sili stated that support for participation in fairs held in important source markets will continue. "Last year, the Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV) participated in fairs by renting special booths, and we provided support for the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Istanbul, and Antalya. This year, we will continue to support the fairs that ALTAV will attend after consultation. Scandinavian countries, Germany, Poland, the developing English market, Eastern European countries, and especially the domestic market are valuable to us. We will take your opinions and share them with ALTAV, contributing to their planning."
"WE ARE FACING A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM DUE TO THE CURRENCY"
Sili stated that, based on discussions, it is understood that the current currency policy will not end before the end of this year. "In the 2024 season, we are facing a significant problem due to the currency. Therefore, there are some opinions that a controlled liberalization of the currency will be achieved towards the end of the year. Of course, the biggest problem for us is our costs. At a point where the currency has increased by 20%, we do not have the opportunity to sustain this business with an 80% increase in costs. Nevertheless, the tourism sector, compared to other sectors in Turkey, is at least a sector that can generate revenue and, even if only marginally, make a profit. However, I do not think it is sustainable. In the short term, those with financial and equity problems will face difficulties, and in the medium term, those with aging facilities and those with debts due to credit or other reasons will experience problems. In every statement I make or every meeting I have with officials, I have stated that tourism is a strategic sector. It is a sector that provides employment, generates foreign currency, closes the current account deficit, and creates resources for over 50 different sectors, and it is an indispensable sector for Turkey, producing 90% of its output domestically."
"INCREASING SCHEDULED AND CHEAP FLIGHTS IS IMPORTANT"
Sili stated that increasing scheduled and cheap flights is important: "Increasing scheduled flights from source markets means increasing the number of guests and allowing guests to travel independently, which will strengthen our position. If your product is not very special, we generally see that the products are similar when looking at the Alanya region or other regions, so the number of guests is important for us. On the other hand, the expansion of the Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport terminal capacity, the organization of domestic and international arrival and departure points with vehicles, are still on the agenda. Hopefully, they will start this year."
"IT IS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE THE IMAGE OF ALANYA"
Sili stated that ALTİD is working and will continue to work to improve the image of Alanya in every way, and that the newly elected ALTAV management is also working on this issue. "We know that they are making efforts in this regard. We are also working and trying to support. We see a vision of turning our city into a city where art is felt in every corner, organizing different events in different places, organizing art and sports organizations at a higher and more professional level, and acting in the same way in promotions. Ultimately, such a vision exists, but the city must support it in order to achieve this vision. I hope we will achieve this together in the coming period."