USA Turkish Times - Building Turkey's tourism

Building Turkey's tourism

Turkey needs to work with the sector to develop a state policy to improve the country's tourism, said a tourism organization leader. Turkey Travel Agencies' Union (TÜRSAB) board member Gülnur Özalp was speaking at the Belek Tourism Investors Association (BETUYAB) seminar over the weekend. The seminar, held in the Antalya resort of Belek, included attendees from the Culture and Tourism Ministry, with members of the tourism sector giving presentations. Culture and Tourism Ministry representative İbrahim Yazar pointed out that the ministry's budget for Turkey's advertising in 2007 was $120 million. The campaign began broadcasting promotional films worldwide last month.

When asked whether Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk would be mentioned in the promotion of Turkey, Yazar explained, “He will not necessarily be in the film, but we will use any of our country's assets and of course Pamuk is one. We might ask for his help, too.” Photographs from the pope's visit to Turkey last year will be used in future campaigns, Yazar added.

Regional concepts for tourism:

Meanwhile, Culture and Tourism Ministry Investment and Enterprises Director General Gürsel Gündoğdu explained Turkey's Tourism Strategy 2023 project. Gündoğdu underlined that the aim was to create tourism regions and regional concepts in tourism.

In the afternoon session sector representatives put the issue under the spotlight. TÜRSAB board member Özalp underlined that, after the automotive industry, tourism was the second biggest sector bringing foreign capital into Turkey. She asked the media to be sensitive and supportive; tourism is a fragile and easily affected sector.

BETUYAB Director General Sami Orçun provided information on BETUYAB projects, noting that the area would have 46 hotels and a 55,000-bed capacity by the end of the year.

For the time being, Haluk Akalın of the Tourism Investors Association (TYD) and Özalp both noted that the over-provision of accommodation facilities was becoming a problem in some areas, pulling prices down for hotels.

ONUR BURÇAK BELLİ - Turkish Daily News

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