By Magma Turismo
That’s the number of international tourists who visit Turkey each year, of which only a little over two million are visitors for a day. And what may come as a surprise is that the capital of Istanbul is not the main attraction, it is Antalya, a beautiful city located in the southwest of the Turkish Mediterranean coast, in the gulf that bears its name.
More important than these overall figures is its positive evolution in recent years, especially considering the economically turbulent context. Turkey has achieved a 16% increase in visitors and Germany and Russia are the two source markets that have increased most.
Strategy with a view to 2023
With the goal of becoming one of the five most dynamic tourist markets in the world in 2023, the centenary of the establishment of the republic, Turkey established IN 2007 a strategic plan in the tourism sector which is in full development right now and which has already placed it in the top-ten worldwide. The plan focuses on achieving three key improvements: diversifying the offer and avoiding excessive concentration of tourism on the coast, rigorously planning real estate development and construction of new infrastructure.
The country is aware that its cultural, historic and natural heritage is the great tourist asset of the region and the roadmap makes it clear that the first challenge is its preservation, so that it is possible to reconcile the development of the tourism industry and infrastructure with sustainability. In this sense, the plan avoids the excessive utilization of coastal areas and at the same time, it elaborates an offer of alternative tourism based on concepts such as health and welfare or winter sports, which can also create an infrastructure of services that can also be utilized by the rest of the population.
Much more than Istambul
The Turkish tourism needs investments that serve to diversify their offer of services as well as accommodations, now focused exclusively on hotels and resorts. In fact, the large number of projects planned in areas of activity in which Turkey has little or no experience opens an interesting opportunity for consulting firms that can add value and knowledge.
The magnet for international tourism remains Istanbul, a city with great charm due to its unique location, divided by the Bosphorus Strait. Thus divided, with part of the city in Asia and part of it in Europe, Istanbul is rich for its mix of cultures, religions and ethnicities.
Linked by two bridges, Bogazici and FSM, the city known for its magic and the contrast of old and new town.
Aside from focusing tourism on Istanbul, Turkey is developing a strategy of ‘City Tours’ which includes other destinations such as Ankara, the second largest city, Izmir and Antalya.
Izmir, on the Aegean coast, is known for its ruins of ancient Pergamum, where parchment was invented. In Ephesus, very close, there are great Greco-Roman ruins that could well suggest you are visiting Rome.
As for Antalya, it has numerous attractions and the heritage of ancient Greece, the Roman Empire or the Ottoman Empire. A destination for sun and beach becomes a heavy-weight competitor for the rest of Mediterranean tourist cities.
Another Turkish zone that attracts most visitors is the Cappadocia in the Central Anatolian region which includes cities like Aksaray. The geological formation of the area and its historical and cultural heritage makes it a protected zone and has allowed it to become World Heritage Site.
Its landscape, unique in the world, is formed naturally due to erosion over thousands of years. Highlights include the open-air museum of Goreme Valley, the underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, and the ‘Valley of the Fairy Chimneys.’ A hot air balloon ride to enjoy views of the area is a must.
A strong industry
The objectives Turkey has set for itself may be achieved through an increasingly strong and internationally respected tourism industry. For example, the national airline, Turkish Airlines, was already selected in 2010 as the best company in the sector in southern Europe and in the same year, the Ataturk Airport in Istambul was voted best airport in Southern Europe.
Currently, the country already has a dozen ski resorts, 14 golf courses, 40 marinas around 35,000 rooms linked to thermal tourism. Still, it must continue to grow to ensure the diversification of offer.
In this context, the presence of international hotel chains begins to be noticeable in the luxury segment and higher categories. However, the demand for 3 and 4 star European standard hotels, both in Istanbul and in the center and southeast of the country, is very high and opens business opportunities. In fact, 25% of foreign investment in recent years has been allocated to the construction industry, according to a report by the German Embassy in Turkey.
BlueBay Group will soon open two hotels in Istanbul, BlueBay Istambul and Blue Diamond City Istambul.
