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Minister’s call: Municipalities to prepare an urgent tourism master plan

MARUF BUZCUGIL / GAZIANTEP Making statements to journalists in Gaziantep during the 10th leg of this year's Culture Road Festivals, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that tourism master plans are the work of municipalities and that they have made a call to municipalities on this issue and said the following: “We have written especially to Metropolitan Municipalities and all municipalities. We are asking you to create your tourism master plans urgently. Tourism master plans should be created by municipalities. We will give support. But it is not something we can do. Street sanitization is not our job. Transportation infrastructure is not our job. Treatment infrastructures, overhead infrastructures. These are not the ministry's job. You will build the best airport in the world, but you must provide tent transportation to the city center.” TURKEY HAS ITALY IN ITS SIGHTS Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that Turkey will surpass Italy in terms of the number of tourists next year and rise to fourth place in the world ranking. Minister Ersoy said that despite the European football championships in Germany and the Olympic Games in France in July and August, the number of tourists arriving did not decrease and that they are behind the target of over 60 million tourists and over $60 billion in tourism revenues in 2024. Reminding that Turkey was 7th in the tourism world ranking in 2017, Minister Ersoy said, “We are in the top 5 in 2024. God willing, next year we will surpass Italy in the number of tourists and rank 4th.” Ersoy reminded that Italy established the world's first tourism development agency in 1919, and that it came to Turkey 100 years later in 2019, and said that Italians today come to remember the past and ask about the successful activities of our Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA). CITIZENS TRAVELING TO GREEK ISLANDS Answering a question about Turkish citizens flocking to Greek islands, Ersoy said: “Shall I say something broader and more realistic? Everyone in the world, all countries are our potential visitors. At the same time, all countries in the world are our potential competitors. Tourism is like that. Someone goes and steals from your restaurant. Someone steals a little bit of your culture. Everyone can steal something from you. You can steal something from everyone. Everyone is our target potential competitor. This is how you plan it.” BASEMENT, FOUNTAIN DEPENDENT ONLY ON LOCAL TOURISTS Minister Ersoy said that the reason for the high cost in Bodrum and Çeşme is that they are indexed to a single type of tourism and the Turkish market, and that tourism here cannot be spread over 8 months and a year. Ersoy said, “The problem with Çeşme and Bodrum is that they are indexed to a single market. This is a general strategy. When you create a tourism that is only indexed to the Turkish market, it starts around the end of June 15 when the schools close. It starts to shrink in the last week of August. Because it is related to the opening and closing of schools.” CULTURAL ASSETS IN THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE TO RISE IN 2025 Answering a question about the status of cultural assets in the earthquake zone, Minister Ersoy said that all cultural assets belonging to the public sector will be restored by the end of 2025. Ersoy said that they accept all applications for cultural assets belonging to the private sector, citizens, not belonging to the public sector, not belonging to the General Directorate of Foundations and the General Directorate of Cultural Assets, but belonging to our citizens and that they have started a grant program. SUPRA-POLITICAL OWNERSHIP OF CULTURE ROAD FESTIVALS Minister Ersoy stated that Culture Road festivals are in great demand and acceptance from provinces at the local level and said, “We are always going for institutionalization. The ownership above politics is what we aim for. It has now reached 16 cities. It will be 20 next year. Our goal is to increase it to 35.” Stating that there is an intense demand from municipalities, Ersoy said, “We have made a new structure in our Ministry. We have created a General Directorate of Living Heritage and Cultural Activities. The expert team organizes these works in the general directorate. There is a very wide spread. The number of provinces is increasing every year. If possible, we continue the festivals on the same dates every year.” Without compulsory membership, there would not be a single member left in TÜRSAB Minister Ersoy, without mentioning his name, referred to the statements of TÜRSAB President Firuz Bağlıkaya and shared his views on the union as follows: “All NGOs except TÜRSAB are based on volunteerism. All managers and members are volunteers. There are no difficulties or sanctions. This is not the case in the world either. Only in our country, unfortunately, it was made compulsory when the law was made at the time. Compulsory membership was introduced. If you remove the obligation today, you will not find a single member in TURSAB. There are weaknesses due to TÜRSAB management. But look at other voluntary NGOs, the number of members is increasing day by day. Because they are based on volunteerism. They do the right things in the right way. They prioritize their personal interests and the interests of the organization. Unfortunately, there is a rotten structure there. That structure continues in that way. For us, it is not the biggest NGO in the sector. The biggest NGO of the sector is accommodation (Hoteliers Association). At the moment, transportation NGOs are much better because of the role they play.” Without mentioning his name, Ersoy said, “If you want to make political opposition, join a political party” regarding the claims of TÜRSAB President Bağlıkaya. THY is our biggest weapon Stating that Turkey's biggest weapon in developing tourism is THY, Minister Ersoy said: “We said that every destination where the Red Flag flies will be a target destination from now on. It was a very clear and wide target. Turkish Airlines flies direct to 330 destinations. From 330 points, we will bring tourists, we will promote wherever it flies. In this way, we started to promote in 200 countries. As of 2019, Turkey has become a country that promotes in 200 countries in the world, promoting intensively and effectively.”

On the 100th anniversary of Victory, vacationers flocked to the Greek Islands

Taking advantage of the holiday, vacationers formed long queues, sometimes exceeding one kilometer, in front of the Ayvalık Maritime Border Gate from the early hours of the day to travel to Greece's Lesbos Island. Vacationers waiting at the maritime border gate with green passports and those applying for visas on arrival were allowed inside for passport procedures before working hours began. Nevzat Turhan, a tourism operator from Ayvalık, mentioned the intense interest in the 3-day holiday due to the August 30 Victory Day. He argued that one of the main reasons Turkish vacationers prefer Lesbos Island, a part of Greece and Europe, is that it is very quick and easy to reach from Ayvalık by fast ferry, taking only 45 minutes. 'Lesbos Island is a popular choice for vacationers because its culture is very close to ours and its prices are a bit more affordable compared to Turkey. Given the visa-on-arrival practice, I believe this demand will continue to grow,' Turhan said. 'The visa-on-arrival practice, which was initially planned to end on December 31, has been extended until March 31, 2025.' Ali Jale, the owner of a ferry company operating between Ayvalık and Lesbos, pointed out that the maritime border gate was extremely crowded due to the August 30 Victory Day. 'The combination of the Victory Day holiday and the weekend has led to a high interest from Turkish vacationers in our services. We plan to operate 10-15 ferry trips during this 3-day period, facilitating the passage of approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people from Ayvalık to Lesbos Island,' he said. Jale also noted that with the end of the summer season coinciding with Victory Day, they have wrapped up the season. 'However, according to new information, the visa-on-arrival practice, initially set to end on December 31, has been extended until March 31, 2025. With the continuation of the visa-on-arrival program, I believe there will be a significant increase in trips to Lesbos Island during the winter, especially on weekends. Of course, we will watch and see this together. This year went quite well for both us and our passengers,' he added. Emphasizing that the increase in overseas fees did not diminish interest in the Greek islands, Jale explained, 'Since 80% of our guests stay on Lesbos for 2-3 nights, the difference in overseas fees hasn't had much impact on them. However, we think this difference may be felt somewhat during the winter season when day trips increase.'

Çelik: Occupancy Rates in Tourist Areas Are Concerning

Recent price increases in the tourism sector are negatively impacting the industry. Mahmut Sefa Çelik, General Manager of Kızılbük GYO, pointed out that hotel occupancy rates for the summer season of 2024 have been in the range of 60% to 70%. While June was fully booked due to the holiday period, occupancy rates began to decline in July due to rising prices. Çelik stated: "Having a 30% vacancy rate during the peak season indicates that it was not a good season. Hotels have launched discounted campaigns targeting the European and Russian markets due to high prices. TÜRSAB data reveals that the tourism sector is experiencing a difficult period due to price increases. Especially in last-minute sales in July, discounts are being offered to fill vacant rooms. However, the situation is far from encouraging. Moreover, the current scenario we are facing in 2024 suggests how 2025 might unfold. This is what I believe is the real concern." Çelik noted that hotel prices have increased by 50% compared to last year, highlighting that Turkey has become one of the most expensive countries in Europe. "Going to the Greek Islands" Çelik explained, "The rise in domestic prices has significantly widened the gap. Due to price similarities, a large number of vacationers are choosing the Greek Islands. In the first quarter of 2024, the number of citizens traveling abroad increased by 18.4% to 2,449,225, with an average expenditure of $727 per person." Çelik expressed concern over the alarming occupancy rates in tourism areas, saying, "In Turkey, tourism is unfortunately only associated with summer vacations. However, our country is a paradise that fully supports a four-season travel experience. To encourage year-round travel, tourism businesses need to focus on innovative marketing strategies." "Promoting Four-Season Tourism" Çelik emphasized the strategic importance of increasing investments in four-season tourism for the future of Turkey’s tourism industry. He said, "With our Kızılbük Thermal Wellness Resort project in Marmaris İçmeler, which aims to add value to the region in various areas including tourism and employment, we are targeting to be a pioneer in promoting four-season tourism. Additionally, through this project, we are committed to adding value to the region while touching the lives of local residents. We are transforming a derelict building into a project that will contribute to Marmaris year-round, creating a pleasant retreat. Our facility, which will be open all year, will offer a range of options beyond sea, sand, and sun, including therapeutic waters, thalassotherapy, Turkish baths, and thermal pools."

Greek Minister: Year-round Visa on Arrival

The Greek delegation, led by Greek Minister of Tourism Olga Kefaloyanni, currently on official visits in Turkey, held a meeting with the Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TÜRSAB) in Istanbul. During the meeting, Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefaloyanni mentioned the recently signed cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey. Addressing the visa on arrival issue for ten Greek islands this year, Kefaloyanni expressed her satisfaction with the continuation of the visa on arrival program throughout the year starting in March. She emphasized the cultural significance of the program for fostering tourism activities and facilitating interaction between the people. Kefaloyanni also stressed the importance of sustainability in tourism, stating, "For us, sustainability in tourism is essential, not just seasonal tourism. I believe our efforts should be focused on achieving this goal." "We expect it to cover other islands." TÜRSAB President Firuz Bağlıkaya stated, "Our mutual tourism traffic is around 500,000 tourists. We are making every effort to increase this capacity as much as possible. On behalf of all travel agencies and our Association, I express my gratitude for the visa on arrival application for Greek islands. Of course, we hope that this practice becomes permanent. Additionally, I would like to express our expectation for the extension of the visa on arrival application to cover other islands to facilitate cruise tours."

#Greek Islands

Minister’s call: Municipalities to prepare an urgent tourism master plan

On the 100th anniversary of Victory, vacationers flocked to the Greek Islands

Çelik: Occupancy Rates in Tourist Areas Are Concerning

Greek Minister: Year-round Visa on Arrival