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Antalya Breaks New Year's Record

During the New Year's week, which covers the dates from December 23rd to December 30th, Antalya broke record after record in daily air arrivals. Antalya, one of the most important tourism centers in the Mediterranean with its sea, sand, sun, historical and natural beauties, cultural structures, and ancient cities, welcomed 121,139 tourists by air in the last week of the year. INCREASED IN THE LAST TWO DAYS According to the data from the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the daily entries on December 30th were 20,020, and on December 29th, they were 17,322. These entries for these two days surpassed both the daily entries of 2022 and 2019, setting a record as the best year-end daily entry in history. The air arrivals in December 2023 reached 302,505, exceeding December 2022 by 7% and December 2019 by 32%. This number is recorded as the highest data obtained from the international terminals of Antalya and Gazipaşa airports for the month of December. LAST DAY WITH SUMMER FEEL Antalya bid farewell to 2023 with a day reminiscent of summer. The air and sea water temperature was measured at 21 degrees. In the city where 90% of the 230,000 bed capacity in facilities serving during the winter period was filled, the beaches were crowded. While arrivals to the city continued throughout the day by air and land, the Antalya Police Department teams were also in the field for New Year's Eve. As part of the New Year's precautions, traffic control was carried out at 52 points in the city, and public order applications were conducted at 305 points. It was reported that nearly 1,000 teams and close to 5,000 personnel would be on duty during the New Year's period.

Kuşadası hotels anticipate 90% occupancy for the upcoming New Year

As the end of 2023 approaches in Kuşadası, the leading tourism district of Aydın, there is significant activity in hotels ahead of the New Year. According to Serdar Köroğlu, Vice President of the Kuşadası Hoteliers Association (KODER), there is a bustling atmosphere with both domestic and foreign tourists choosing Kuşadası for New Year celebrations. "Almost all hotels in Kuşadası are nearly full for New Year's. We have guests from Romania, Bulgaria, and, to a lesser extent, German, Dutch, and Indian groups who prefer Kuşadası," he said. Kuşadası hotels, gearing up for the New Year holiday, are preparing to welcome their guests with orchestral concerts and special menus. It is noted that during this special period, hotel occupancy rates are approaching 100%. Open-air hotels are offering a visual feast to their guests with New Year-themed decorations, sparkling Christmas trees, and colorful decor. Kuşadası stands out for its lively atmosphere in tourism during the New Year, with hotels and restaurants preparing to host their guests with special menus, ensuring that the excitement of the New Year reaches its peak. With both foreign and domestic tourists showing interest in hotels in the district during this period, Kuşadası embraces the New Year celebration in all its vibrant colors. Kuşadası Chamber of Commerce Vice President Seydi Yıkılmaz, in a statement regarding preparations as the New Year approaches, mentioned, "Things are going well, there are innovations in businesses. Hotel occupancy rates are around 90%. We believe that businesses will do some business together, at least to some extent."

In 2023, Mardin hosted 2 million 650 thousand tourists

Located in the "golden triangle" of Mesopotamia, Mardin, one of the Southeastern Anatolian Region provinces, hosted 2 million 650 thousand tourists in 2023. Mardin, characterized as the "golden triangle" of Mesopotamia, attracts thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year. Özgür Azad Gürgör, the President of the Mardin Tourism and Hoteliers Association, stated that approximately 650 thousand people stayed in the city this year, with nearly 2 million entries and exits. Gürgör, evaluating their expectations for 2024, stated that they anticipate surpassing 1 million stays. In the city where 650 thousand tourists stayed in hotels, he mentioned that the visitor count reached 2 million 560 thousand in 2022, saying, "Our goal this year was 1 million stays. In 2019, we reached a figure of around 850 thousand. After the earthquake in 2023, there was a decline. Later, we entered a recovery process. There was significant demand after May. We had close to 650 thousand stays. Our bed capacity increased, and the number of hotels increased." Güngör noted that Mardin residents living in metropolitan cities have made significant contributions to Mardin. He stated, "Mardin residents living in metropolitan cities have made serious investments here. We also had many guests from nearby cities. Especially, our guests arranged day trips or stayed in the nearest cities. One of the closest cities was Diyarbakır. Our guests stayed there and made day trips to Mardin. According to the information we have, in addition to the entries and exits from churches, historical sites, and hotel stays, we have close to 2 million entries and exits. This situation makes us happy. Our tourist numbers are now spread over 12 months. There is a strong demand for New Year's Eve. We already invite everyone for New Year's Eve."

In Erciyes, New Year's Eve reservations have reached 90 percent

The New Year's Eve at Erciyes Ski Resort, one of Turkey's prominent ski centers, will be full of excitement. Zafer Akşehirlioğlu, the General Manager of Erciyes Inc., stated that hotel reservations have currently reached 90 percent. Erciyes Ski Resort, one of Turkey's major winter tourism destinations, is ready for the New Year. Zafer Akşehirlioğlu, the General Manager of Erciyes Inc., announced that a week before the new year, the reservation rate has reached 90 percent. Akşehirlioğlu mentioned various programs awaiting guests who want to welcome the new year in Erciyes. He stated, "We can say that Erciyes is ready for New Year's Eve. After the recent snowfall, reservations had exceeded 90 percent. Our discussions with hotels indicate that occupancy is in very good condition. After opening our last slope, it will approach close to 100 percent. It will be fully booked for New Year's Eve. There will be activities at the hotels, and we also plan to offer night skiing and other events. We can say that New Year's Eve will be packed with activities in Erciyes. We invite our guests to Erciyes." Ümit Yeniekinci, who came from Gaziantep to Erciyes, invited skiing enthusiasts to Erciyes and gave a message: "Get ready; this season will be intense."

Bulgarian and Greek tourists will celebrate New Year's in Edirne

Edirne, Turkey's gateway to Europe, continues to attract the attention of neighboring country citizens. Tourists arriving in Edirne for Christmas, widely celebrated as a holiday in much of the Christian world, create a bustling atmosphere in the city. These visitors complete their Christmas shopping in the city's markets, bazaars, and shopping centers. Many tourists planning to celebrate New Year's in Edirne have made reservations at hotels and entertainment venues days in advance. Sezai Irmak, the President of the Edirne Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told AA reporter that there is a festive atmosphere in the city due to New Year's. Emphasizing that tourists from neighboring countries contribute to the city's economy, Irmak said, "The interest of tourists in Edirne continues to rise with added momentum during New Year's. We are very happy about this." Irmak stated that businesses in the city have completed the necessary preparations before New Year's. Highlighting that Edirne's merchants always provide the best service and are preferred, Irmak noted: "Many groups are coming to Edirne from Greece and Bulgaria. They have reserved their places in our hotels. They celebrate Christmas on December 24th, and similarly, there are quite a few who want to welcome the New Year. Having a high number of foreign tourists, in addition to local tourists, is beneficial for us. Hotel occupancy rates are approaching 100%, and restaurants are full. They leave a significant amount of foreign currency in Edirne. "Tourists prefer to welcome the New Year in Edirne." Can Pekbaş, the Representative of the Tourism Hotel Managers Association in Edirne, stated that tourists choosing Edirne for New Year's have increased the occupancy rates in hotels. Expressing expectations of a prosperous activity in the city, Pekbaş said, "As every year, there is demand for New Year's from neighboring countries, Bulgaria and Greece. We have made preparations to host our guests. We will do our best to ensure that they enter the new year beautifully. We have a certain level of demand for New Year's. Tourists prefer to welcome the New Year in Edirne. Edirne's shopkeepers have also made nice preparations for shopping."

Bodrum's tourism professionals are excited for the new year

As Bodrum welcomes local and international guests from around the world during the summer months, the demand for the town is expected to continue into the New Year. Tourism professionals in Bodrum invite those seeking a lively and well-organized New Year's holiday to the district. Ömer Faruk Dengiz, the President of the Bodrum Hoteliers Association (BODER), told AA news agency that guests from surrounding cities and districts are also welcome to participate in various New Year's Eve events organized in the town. Dengiz mentioned that the municipality will also arrange programs for the New Year, expressing their anticipation for the intensity in the town to surpass expectations. Dengiz, noting the significant traffic in flight schedules, expressed the following: "According to the information we have, almost half of the 21 flights from December 29th to New Year's Eve appear to be full. I think you need to make flight reservations soon. It's important not to leave reservations until the last minute. I believe it's the best time of the year to come to Bodrum. Those who have summer houses in Bodrum will also organize programs, leading to increased activity. Our hotels have already reached over 40% occupancy." Tour operator Orhan Kavala also stated that he believes Bodrum will welcome the New Year better than other tourism regions, as is the case every year. Kavala, mentioning that the occupancy rate in Bodrum is at the level of the 50s and expecting this to increase in the coming days, said: "I hope both the shopkeepers and the residents have a beautiful New Year. I sincerely wish that. The normal population of Bodrum is 200,000, but there are also 600,000 people staying as residents. Some of them come from outside the city. If some of these people will stay in houses, others will stay in accommodation facilities. Accordingly, it will be possible for them to have a holiday in Bodrum at reasonable prices." "There will also be live music events." Hotel operator Hadi Türk mentioned that they have completed all preparations as operators and are welcoming guests who want to usher in the New Year in Bodrum. Türk, stating that guests preferring a slightly milder climate will come to Bodrum, said, "Although it may not be like summer in Bodrum, a beautiful New Year's holiday awaits us. The reason people choose Bodrum during this period is the pleasant climate. Bodrum is an excellent destination. As every year, our guests will choose Bodrum again. There will also be concerts and live music events organized for New Year's in Bodrum.

New Year's in tourist hotels will be lively

Yağcı, speaking to an AA reporter, mentioned that the fact that December 31st falls on a Sunday has increased the opportunity for a holiday. Expressing their readiness for upcoming seasons with new hopes after a successful year in tourism, Yağcı noted that they will have a good start with the New Year intensity. Regarding New Year's, especially in hotels open in coastal areas, reaching 80% occupancy, Yağcı stated: "We expect even more reservations in the coming week. Currently, there is activity in all our regions. We have traditional markets, guests coming from European countries such as Germany, England, the Netherlands, Belgium during the winter season. The number of guests coming from Russia during the New Year period has been increasing in the last 3 years. Considering our New Year and then the Russians' New Year programs, we will experience New Year's activity in Turkey until January 8." Yağcı also mentioned that they received reservations from the domestic market and stated that hotels in both ski resorts and coastal areas will have a productive New Year holiday. Yağcı noted that hotels are making preparations for New Year's based on reservations. He mentioned that hotels have adopted the New Year concept from the second week of December, and programs and menus have been planned days in advance. There is an increase in Russian and German tourists for New Year's. Ismail Çağlar, the operations manager of a hotel group in Antalya, also mentioned that they have had a successful year and are preparing for 2024 with new hopes. Expressing the desire to start the new year with a beautiful New Year's holiday, Çağlar stated that special New Year's programs in hotels in Kundu, Belek, Kemer, and Alanya regions have been completed. Stating that they have received numerous requests from domestic guests and anticipating a lively New Year's holiday, Çağlar said, "The Christmas celebration of Catholic Christians begins on December 24, followed by the Orthodox. We have a beautiful 15-day period ahead. Usually, there is a domestic market intensity, and this year there is an increase in both Russian and German guests. We are eagerly looking forward to New Year's.

New Year's tourism in Antalya

As the year 2023 comes to an end and we welcome 2024, there has been significant demand for the New Year, especially in the Antalya region, from both Europe and Russia. With New Year's coinciding with the Christmas celebrations of European Catholic Christians on December 24 and those of Orthodox Christians from Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on January 6, many open hotels have seen occupancy rates rise to 80-90 percent. New Year's Eve intensity in Antalya hotels In hotels hosting concerts by artists, occupancy rates have approached 100 percent due to domestic market demand. Hakan Saatçioğlu, President of the Professional Hotel Managers Association (POYD), stated that tourism has been recovering more positively each year since the pandemic in 2020 and that end-of-year occupancy rates are high, similar to last year. "Especially from December 15 to January 15, there is a significant intensity" Saatçioğlu also mentioned that New Year's Eve reservations are going well, saying, 'We are receiving significant reservations, especially from Russia and the Balkans. We had significant reservations last year as well. We have made our preparations, and alongside Europeans, we have also seen a significant increase from the United Kingdom. There is a significant intensity, especially from December 15 to January 15. Many hotels in our region are closed, and a small number of hotels are open. Currently, our tourists coming from abroad are filling them sufficiently.' "Hotels organizing artistic events in Antalya are currently fully booked" Hakan Saatçioğlu explained that decorations have been prepared to celebrate the Christmas and New Year process for foreign guests in environments similar to those in their home countries. He stated, "We are coloring and illuminating our hotels. In the cold winter months, with New Year's decorations, we are trying to make our foreign guests experience New Year's as if they were in their own countries. Domestic tourism is slow. We have very few domestic guests. There is a concentration in hotels that organize artistic events. Hotels organizing artistic events in Antalya are currently fully booked." Special programs for the New Year: Numerous famous artists will perform On the other hand, special programs for the New Year have been prepared with concerts by many famous artists such as Tarkan, Ajda Pekkan, Ebru Gündeş, Sibel Can, Özcan Deniz, Sıla, Melek Mosso, Volkan Konak, Deniz Seki, Simge Sağın, Merve Özbey, Cengiz Kurtoğlu, especially in KTTC and Antalya, as well as in Istanbul, the Aegean coast, ski resorts, and thermal facilities. According to data from tour operators, there is an increase of nearly 55% in reservations for this New Year's holiday compared to the previous year. Some hotels have reached full capacity It has been announced that the occupancy rate in many hotels, especially those organizing artistic programs, has reached 100%, and an increase in activity is expected in ski resorts due to snowfall. Those who want to spend New Year's abroad are showing interest in destinations that can be visited without a visa, such as Serbia and Kosovo, mostly due to visa issues.

Tourism is expected to set historic records this New Year

Turkey, reaching the tourism figures of the acclaimed 2019 by the end of October 2023, is set to break this record with New Year bookings from the European and Russian markets. Hamit Kuk, Chief Advisor to the President of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), stated, 'We have almost matched the 2019 figures, and I believe we will comfortably exceed the 51.7 million by the end of the year, especially after the data for November and December are released.' As Turkey aims high in tourism for 2023, the January-October period already reached 50.2 million tourists, and it is anticipated that, with the November-December data and New Year bookings, it will surpass the 2019 figure of 51.7 million. Hamit Kuk mentioned that after December 15, Russians and Europeans planning to spend the New Year period in Antalya will contribute to positive results, especially between December 20 and 31. "We can already see sales for the 2024 summer in the domestic market." Highlighting that early reservation sales for the 2024 season have already begun in both the European and Russian markets, as well as in the domestic market, Kuk noted, 'When we look at Europe, the interest is almost the same as last year, but the real demand will come after the New Year. Comparing the current early reservation sales to last year, we think that 2024 will be slightly stronger than 2023. In the Russian market, despite a slow progress due to the issues with Ukraine, it is going almost the same as last year. Surprisingly, we see that sales for the 2024 season have already started in the domestic market. I am happy about this because the awareness of early reservations among local guests is a good thing. It will be nice for them to buy their holidays at discounted prices now instead of higher prices during the season, and to plan accordingly. Current sales are going well compared to last year, but the real volume will start to increase in all markets from January onwards.' Kuk also mentioned an increase in interest from the domestic market for spending New Year's in Antalya, adding, 'Campaigns started last weekend, and there is a growing interest, especially in facilities with artists. I expect the domestic market to intensify from next week onwards.' "There is a possibility that we will exceed it by the end of the year by a certain margin." Despite the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Kuk highlighted that the 2023 tourism season is progressing quite well. He pointed out that current figures are almost the same as the record year of 2019, and with New Year bookings, a new record could be set. Kuk stated, 'We have almost matched the 2019 figures, and there is a possibility that we will exceed it by the end of the year by a certain margin. Looking at it from that perspective, 2023 has been a highly productive year. If there are no setbacks, we believe that we will continue to surpass 2023 in 2024. As Turkey, we are a tourism country with this potential. Seeing the early reservations, it seems that we are on solid ground. Hopefully, it will continue this way. By the end of October 2023, we reached the figure of 50.2 million. Our figure for the whole year in 2019 was 51.7 million. However, during that period, we had achieved $34.5 billion in tourism revenue, whereas now we have earned $42 billion in foreign exchange. After the data for November and December are released, I believe we will easily reach the 51.7 million figure from 2019. So, we expect to close the year 2023 at around 51-52 million.' "Our expectation for 2024 is at least a 10% increase." Highlighting that Antalya hosted 15.6 million tourists in 2019, Kuk mentioned that with the release of the November and December data for 2023, this figure will likely be reached or even surpassed. Emphasizing the significance of the upcoming tourists during the New Year period, Kuk stated, '2019 was our best season. Currently, it appears that we have matched the 2019 figures in 2023. With the performance during the New Year, it is possible to exceed that. After closing 2023 with such impressive figures, our expectation for 2024, barring any setbacks, is that we will increase by at least 10%.'

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