Transportation for tourism personnel is growing more challenging daily

Hakan Saatçioğlu, President of the Professional Hotel Managers Association (POYD), stated that the transportation of tourism personnel is becoming increasingly difficult in Antalya due to transportation problems, and he mentioned that the quality of life in the city is rapidly declining due to transportation issues.

Saatçioğlu, the President of POYD, particularly noted that traffic in Antalya almost comes to a standstill during morning and evening hours. He mentioned that it takes tourism personnel up to two to two and a half hours to reach their homes in the late afternoon, negatively impacting their quality of life. Saatçioğlu pointed out that employees leave their homes at 6:00 in the morning and return home around 19:00–19:30 in the evening. He raised concerns about the increase in women's employment, questioning how it would be possible with such working hours. Saatçioğlu emphasized that tourism in Antalya is not just about beautiful nature, beaches, and luxury hotels but that the most important capital of tourism in Antalya is the hardworking employees. He expressed concern that the working hours are affecting the living standards of tourism employees negatively, stating, "We are killing the living standards of tourism workers. Smiling and motivated staff are our greatest asset. However, as the quality of life decreases, neither smiles nor motivation remain in the staff."

"Why aren't traffic lights synchronized to manage traffic flow?"

Saatçioğlu pointed out that the population in Antalya is growing much faster than in other cities and mentioned that rational planning and small investments could improve the situation. He provided examples, stating, "Smart traffic lights should be invested in at busy intersections. If it has been done, it's not enough. We can see busy intersections marked in red on Google Maps. Why aren't traffic lights synchronized to manage traffic flow? And why hasn't there been enough signage and traffic flow diagrams created at traffic intersections? Even if it has been done, unfortunately, it is very inadequate. Many people have to change lanes when approaching an intersection. The fronts of shopping malls are the biggest problem. Didn't the authorities foresee or imagine that traffic flow would be blocked? I believe that shopping malls should now be located outside the city, they need to be relocated. City tunnels and exits built in the past have relieved traffic to some extent, but now they are insufficient. The simultaneous deployment of services by hotels and companies seriously affects traffic."

He highlighted that there are 26 hotels in the Lara region alone, with an average of 10 buses departing from each hotel, totaling 260 buses hitting the road simultaneously. Saatçioğlu expressed that each bus making illogical stops within the city creates serious problems. He stated, "The Lara region is especially popular among tourists, it is our busiest area for online reservations. Its proximity to the airport and city center provides a significant advantage. Approximately 1,250 people stay in 26 hotels, and even if only 20 percent of the 32,500 guests use the tram daily, it would contribute to Antalya's businesses. Let's not forget about the approximately 12,000 employees in the Lara region, some of whom will also use public transportation. The tram is civilization in public transportation. As hotels, we can provide transportation fees to employees and offer more flexible working hours. Currently, all hotels start and finish work for their staff at the same time due to their reliance on shuttle schedules. However, we can provide flexible working hours for our staff, allowing us to increase employment opportunities, especially for women, to some extent."