'FIGURES WILL INCREASE'
Evaluating the years 2012 and 2013 and conveying expectations for 2014, Alanya Municipality Support Services and Sports Manager Saim Kanlı said, "The number of organizations and camps, which was 70 in 2012, exceeded 100 in Alanya in 2013. In 2014, we are moving towards great goals along with new sporting organizations."
'25 MILLION TL IN 2013'
Explaining the economic inputs provided by sports tourism to the Alanya economy and the target for 2014, Kanlı stated, "In 2012, we brought 15 million TL from sports tourism, and in 2013, we brought 25 million TL to our Alanya. Our target for 2014 is to provide 50 million TL in earnings to Alanya from sports tourism."
2014 YEAR OF BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Stating that the indoor sports halls and the Olympic swimming pool located in Alanya are important elements for national and international sports clubs wishing to hold training camps, Kanlı made the following statements: "Sports clubs in branches such as basketball, volleyball, handball, football, cycling, triathlon, and swimming prefer Alanya throughout the winter period. In 2014, we will organize significant events, especially in beach volleyball, and we will host the world's renowned clubs in Alanya for both championships and training camps."
'SPORTS TOURISM HAS MADE GREAT PROGRESS'
Stating that sports tourism is indispensable for Alanya to ensure facilities can remain open during the winter season, Suat Çavuşoğlu, President of the Türkiye Seyahat Acentaları Birliği (TÜRSAB) Alanya Regional Executive Board (BYK), said, "Sports tourism, which began with triathlons in 1990, has made great strides to this day. As Alanya, we provide services to beach volleyball, mountain biking, basketball, volleyball, judo, handball, and athletics teams through both organizations and camping facilities. However, we should not stop there; we must also attract football clubs on an international scale."
'WE CAME WITH A DELEGATION OF 64 PEOPLE'
Cengiz Bıngül, Head Coach of Water Sports for Gaziantep Şehitkamil Belediyespor, who stated that they had come to Alanya for a training camp for the first time, said, "We are having a very successful camp period in Alanya with 58 athletes and 6 technical staff members. As of February, the favorable climatic conditions in Alanya and the physical adequacy established for the sport of swimming are among the primary reasons for our preference for Alanya. The abundance of facility options, especially in terms of accommodation, is important for us."
'WE ARE IN CAMP BEFORE THE CHAMPIONSHIP'
On the other hand, emphasizing that the Turkish Underwater Sports Federation will organize the Turkish Championship in Alanya in March, Bilgin stated that the studies conducted in the same pool prior to the championship provide a great advantage in terms of athlete motivation.
'HOTEL PRICES ARE AFFORDABLE'
Gaziantep Polis Gücü Spor Kulübü and National Team Indoor Hockey Coach Yusuf Kasım stated that they are spending a 10-day training camp period in Alanya before the European Indoor Hockey Championship, saying, "The suitability of hotel prices and the climate, along with the provision of all kinds of opportunities in a sporting sense, caused us to prefer Alanya for the camp."
'TOURIST REGION HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT'
Field Hockey National Team athlete Onur Açıkgöz stated that the fact that the training centers are located in a touristic region and the suitability of the climatic conditions positively affected him in terms of motivation.