Alanya was promoted at the 40th International Budapest Tourism Fair held in Budapest, the capital of HUNGARY. In the promotion conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Alanya was represented by Elvan Güneş, a Member of the Board of the Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV). Reporting from the fair center, Güneş stated, “We evaluated all kinds of promotional opportunities at the fair, to which our Zurich Promotion Counselor Ms. Hilal Demirel made great contributions. There were a total of 11 participants, including 5 regions and hotels, at our country's Ministry stand. At the fair, 73 countries conducted promotional activities.”
“WE WILL HOST FAMOUS NAMES IN ALANYA”
Stating that Hungary, with a population of 9.5 million, has a special interest in Turkey and Turks, Güneş noted the following: We have established important connections to turn this interest into an opportunity. We held a promotion strategy meeting with Tolga Deniz Sarıyüce, General Manager of the Turkish-origin Sun & Fun Holidays, which possesses significant sales capacity in the country, Product Manager Nusret Saral, and our Consultant Ms. Hilal. I mentioned that we had previously filmed a music video for a Bulgarian pop star in Alanya, that we will film a music video for the new song of Serbian pop star Ana Kokič, and that we want them to utilize their connections here and to carry out similar promotional activities in this country as well.
“HUNGARIANS WILL OBSERVE ALANYA”
We have reached an agreement with Kandasz Andrea, a tourism magazine owner, tourism program producer, and presenter from Hungary, whose travels are eagerly followed, regarding her coming to Alanya. Due to her being an important representative of Hungary in terms of tourism, they have Ms. Andrea perform the opening of the fair every year. Andrea has never been to Türkiye before. With the special efforts of Sarıyüce, the Alanya region will be promoted in Andrea's program.
“RESERVATION FIGURES HAVE EXCEEDED 2015”
We will continue to work together on significant promotional projects with Sun & Fun Holidays, which holds a major share of the operations conducted to Türkiye, hereafter as ALTAV. As Sun & Fun Holidays, the agency's sales momentum, participating with a large stand, is in the Alanya and Side regions. Additionally, I have received information that there has been an increase in sales in the Belek region. Their sales to date have already surpassed their 2015 sales. They will decide on a capacity increase following the ITB trade fair held in Germany. They will fly to Antalya between May 14 and October 30.
“GREEN TRAVEL HAS RESUMED SALES”
In our meeting with Neckermann Marketing Manager Kalman Peter, I received information that the planning is the same as last year. He stated that they have reached an agreement with Fun & Sun Holidays regarding aircraft and that they will conduct aircraft planning together. Aydın Erol, Deputy General Manager of Akdem Travel, who stated that their former agency in the country, Green Travel, has resumed sales and that they are company partners, said that they have planned 5 aircraft per week for the year 2017, that they will fly with Freebird Airlines between May and October, that they brought 30 thousand tourists in 2015 and that this number declined to 14 thousand in 2016, and that their goal is to reach the 2015 figures.
“THERE ARE NO TURKEY SALES IN CHRISTIAN TOUR”
Following their operation in Romania, officials from Christian Tour stated that there will be no sales from Hungary to Turkey this year. Sales Manager Nyul Mikiöz, stating that they have begun holiday package sales with Spain, Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria, said, ‘We will decide based on the situation next year.’ She expressed that they do not want to take risks as it is their first year in Hungary.
“TOURISM WRITERS AND BLOGGERS ARE THE FUTURE”
We have reached an agreement with Mezei Eda, who writes for four different tourism and holiday magazines, for an Alanya promotion trip program. She will be coming to Alanya in April. Alanya will be featured in the new issue of her magazine, which will be released in June. Additionally, Szeszler Szilvia, the Media Manager of the tourism magazine Go Utazas, whom we have hosted in Alanya before, and Urban Györgyi, the Magazine Manager of the tourism magazine Az Utazo, will be in Alanya in May along with their photographers. Furthermore, our Consultant Ms. Hilal will contact phenomenon bloggers in addition to these press groups and include them in the press program.
“THEY WROTE ‘WE LOVE ALANYA’ ON SOCIAL MEDIA”
During the fair, we continued our social media promotion activities. By gifting bracelets with evil eye beads and the text "Alanya," we had visitors make posts on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts using the slogan ‘We love Alanya’. On the 3rd day of the fair, we once again gifted Alanya bracelets to visitors who shared our newly released Alanya video on their social media accounts.
“THERE IS NO PROMOTION COUNSELOR IN HUNGARY”
On the first day of the fair, our Ambassador Mr. Şakir Fakılı visited our stand. I stated that we do not yet have a promotion attaché, that this market is important, and that an increase in the number of tourists coming to our country could be achieved through close interest and work. He said that he had made a request for this and that they were expecting the appointment of an attaché within 1-2 months. As ALTAV, we had a productive fair process by working in coordination with the Ministry officials with whom we maintain good mutual relations to promote our country and our region. We are returning from this market, where the positive atmosphere continues, with hope.