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Tourism professionals' outcry over green passports: We should be the first to receive them

In the 19 proposed laws expected to be discussed in the coming days at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) Internal Affairs Commission, green passports are proposed for various professions. These include all judges and prosecutors, security guards, businesspeople with 20 years of experience, truck drivers involved in international transportation for 10 years, mayors, pharmacists with 15 years of experience, journalists, engineers and architects, village and neighborhood heads, freelance accountants, disabled public employees, prison officers, private sector doctors, theater artists, faculty members, TBMM advisors, union leaders, and veterans. However, the tourism sector is not among the professions listed in these 19 proposed laws. "We are the sector with the most international connections" Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, President of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), emphasized that tourism is the most globally integrated sector, stating, "If there were a G7 or G20 equivalent in tourism, Turkey would be part of it. Tourism professionals in our country deserve this privilege first. We play a crucial role in promoting our country globally. Visa issues are very serious, and each company could be given a quota. Even when attending international fairs, we face problems. Turkey participates in over 20 fairs every year, and the average tourism professional attends at least five of them. Especially fairs like WTM London, ITB Berlin, Ultrecht in the Netherlands, and MITT Moscow are essential for us. Besides these fairs, there are many specialized fairs and numerous events such as sales meetings with tourists. Currently, only staff with visas can attend. Obtaining new visas has become very challenging. We are the sector that generates the most foreign exchange in Turkey and has the most international connections." "Why isn't tourism included among the 19?" Recep Yavuz, Head of the Tourism Working Group at the Antalya City Council, pointed out that the Schengen procedures applied by Western European countries have become increasingly complicated for Turkey and its citizens. "Getting an appointment has become really difficult. After getting an appointment, obtaining a visa takes months, even years, and has additional costs. This has especially put businesspeople with unplanned international travel, such as those in tourism, in a very difficult position. Everyone is trying their own methods to overcome this. But we, tourism professionals, have been voicing our demand for green passports for years regarding this long-standing issue. There is a proposed law to be discussed in the TBMM in the coming days. While each of the professions listed has its own justifications, why isn't tourism included among the 19?" he asked. "The field of a tourism professional is abroad" Yavuz stressed that tourism professionals are the ones who most need and deserve green passports, saying, "For a tourism professional, traveling abroad is a normal procedure. These dates are often not known in advance. Sometimes they need to attend meetings with tour operators, and other times they must participate in fairs and conferences. In short, the field of a tourism professional is abroad. A tourism professional who cannot travel abroad is left in a state of desperation and pins their hopes on obtaining a green passport. Including green passports for tourism professionals among the priority topics for discussion is essential. For a tourism professional, this is more than just a trip; it is a job. Therefore, tourism professionals should be included in the green passport proposals to be discussed in the TBMM in the coming days." Tour guides also seek green passports Antalya Guides Chamber President Mustafa Yalçın Yalçınkaya highlighted that tour guiding is a profession that greatly contributes to promoting Turkey. "Professional tour guides face significant obstacles in performing their duties due to visa restrictions, particularly for protocol and cultural tours in European Union countries. It is crucial that they be granted the right to obtain special-stamped green passports to carry out their duties more effectively. As tour guides, whose profession requires frequent travel abroad, we believe we should benefit from this right. In this context, it is necessary to grant special-stamped passports to facilitate their international travel." The visa application process is very challenging Medine Resulzade, a sales manager for a hotel group, noted that travel agencies and hotels allocate a significant portion of their budgets to promote Turkish tourism. "Every agency and hotel employs personnel responsible for this task. They participate in almost all fairs and events worldwide. However, the visa application process is very challenging. Some of our colleagues even have to use dual passports due to the visa application process. While promoting in one country, their passports are at consulates for visas for another country. Therefore, granting green passports to tourism workers, within certain rules (such as for senior staff or for a certain duration), would certainly make our job easier," she said.

A new era is beginning in hotels

Industry representatives, particularly focusing on gastronomy, sports, and cultural tourism activities, are aiming to reconsider the widely popular yet equally debated all-inclusive system. THEY MAY RETURN TO HALF-BOARD Speaking to Hürriyet about the industry's plans for 2024, Korhan Alşan, the CEO of Nirvana Hotels, noted an increasing need to reconsider the all-inclusive system due to rising costs and changing customer expectations. Alşan stated, "Some of the hotels implementing the all-inclusive system may shift to half-board. Of course, the all-inclusive system will never disappear because it is a very comfortable model, especially during the summer season. Turkey implements this very well. PRICE BASED ON THE PRODUCT Alşan, noting that completely abandoning the all-inclusive system is not rational, explained it as follows: "We need to diversify the content of this system because there is confusion in some aspects. For example, consumers have started questioning why they are paying for products they did not purchase. We are also contemplating the question, 'Why should a tourist who does not consume alcohol pay for it throughout their vacation?' We plan to offer a model where consumers can choose the products they will use." CAN CREATE A PRICE ADVANTAGE Kaan Kavaloğlu, the President of the Mediterranean Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), commented on the 'pay as you use' model expected to be integrated into the all-inclusive system. Kavaloğlu stated, "Frankly, due to competitive conditions, we have filled the all-inclusive system with a lot. Therefore, the new model can create a price advantage. Those who want to effectively use this model in marketing are gradually changing their systems. In the new era, tourists can benefit from a non-alcoholic all-inclusive option."

Tourism professionals expect a 50% increase in tours

Commenting on the one-week visa exemption for Greek islands with an AA reporter, Celestyal Cruise Turkey Director and Karavan Tourism Director Özgü Alnıtemiz recalled that visa exemptions at the border for Greek islands were also provided in previous years. Alnıtemiz stated, "As tourism professionals, we are pleased, but we also need to be cautious. We cannot ignore Germany's contribution to the Greek economy. Germany has a significant presence in Schengen. We will wait and see." Pointing out that Greek islands are among the most visited destinations by Turks, Alnıtemiz expressed the following: "From day trips to cruise tours, it is a significant contribution to the Greek economy. Greece approaches the issue from the perspective of attracting Turkish tourists. For Turkish tourists, visa fees are a burden for international travel. Today, there is a service fee ranging from 120 euros to 200 euros charged by intermediary organizations. Visa exemption for Greek islands will be a significant saving for visitors." Although they sell in euros due to price increases in hotels, Alnıtemiz mentioned that they had a good season last year. He said, "Every year, one million Turks visit the Greek islands. Our goal is to be able to take these tourists by ship. The interest of cruise companies in Turkey will increase. The number of tourists they receive from the visited port is important. When the number of Turkish passengers increases, cruise companies will be eager to position themselves in Turkey." Alnıtemiz, emphasizing that the decision should be valid not only for this year but also for future years if a strategy is to be developed, said, "Hopefully, a positive decision will be made. We can bring travelers together with both cruise tours and Greek islands." Discussing the possibility of Turks being able to travel without a visa in Europe, Alnıtemiz suggested that if Schengen countries support Greece, the decision for Greek islands could be a pilot study. He stated, "The difference between cruise and other international package tours is that when we board Turkish passengers on the ship, there are also foreign passengers on board, and they also stay overnight. Many foreigners coming to Turkey prefer your port to go to the Greek islands. In any case, it contributes to the economy." "Tours to Greek islands departing from Turkey have significantly increased in recent years" Saltur Tourism Board Member İsmail Fırat Çevik expressed a positive reception among tourism professionals for the visa exemption that will be provided to Turkish tourists on Greek islands. He mentioned that before the COVID-19 pandemic, visa exemptions at the border were provided at certain intervals every year, but this practice has been discontinued in recent times. Çevik emphasized the importance of how the new decision will be implemented, whether it will cover specific dates, and pointed out that these details are crucial. Ismail Fırat Çevik stated, "For travel agencies like us that also sell cruise packages, there will be a significant increase in demand after this decision. In recent years, many cruise companies have entered this market. Tours to Greek islands departing from Turkey have significantly increased. There are also local companies. I believe that with Greece's decision, there could be an increase in demand for island tours." He added, "The decision could lead to a serious increase in demand for cruise packages offered by agencies like ours. In recent years, many cruise companies have entered this market. Tours to Greek islands departing from Turkey have significantly increased. There are also local companies. I believe that with Greece's decision, there could be an increase in demand for island tours. "It will contribute to revival" Çevik, stating that air tours are not highly preferred in tours to Greek islands, mentioned that ready-made package cruise tours and individual travels through ferries are common. He said, "Lengthy visa procedures have reduced the motivation of those who want to travel and the sales of tourism companies. It's actually too early to say anything now. This practice in the Greek islands will contribute to the revitalization of tourism. The exchange rate is considered high by many people; nevertheless, we believe that there could be an increase of up to 50% in tours to the Greek islands."

World tourism professionals gathered

Istanbul Tourism Fair, which lasted 2 days at the Istanbul Congress Center, brought together tourism sector companies and professionals from all over the world and our country. Stating that the Istanbul Tourism Fair was held with a different concept this year, POYD Bodrum Representative and Bodrium Hotel & SPA General Manager Yiğit Girgin said that an important opportunity was offered to hoteliers, agencies and tour operators for new collaborations. Girgin also emphasized that the tourism sector has already started its preparations for 2024 and the participation is high, and expressed his belief that the business volume will increase even more thanks to the international Istanbul Tourism Fair. IT WAS AN EFFICIENT FAIR Girgin stated that within the scope of the fair, companies met with each other and new destinations were introduced both domestically and abroad and agreements were signed; “We are on an important platform to develop sectoral cooperation, increase business volume, and define and market new destinations. There are important participants from home and abroad. In the seminars held within the scope of the fair, while 2023 is evaluated, what can be done for 2024 is discussed. It must be said that it was a productive fair for the sector.” WE INTRODUCED BODRIUM TO NEW AGENCIES Noting that, as Bodrium Hotel & SPA, they also met with different agencies for the promotion of Bodrum and new collaborations, Girgin continued his words as follows: “We held many meetings with agencies from Central Europe, America and the Middle East. We introduced Bodrum as a new destination to them and explained the features and facilities of the city and our hotel. As Bodrium Hotel, which is open 12 months a year, we continue our promotional activities to improve our business volume in new markets such as the Middle East.”

The tourism season will be extended

The tourist season will be extended this year. Summer came late, the weather warmed up after June. In tourism, the desired density was reached only in August this year. Now the expectation is that the season will be extended to October, November or even December. Mehmet İşler, President of ETİK (Aegean Touristic Operators and Accommodations Union), said, "Our reservation increases were slow. We didn't have a very bright July either, and we started to catch the expected numbers in August, September and October. We anticipate that the season will be extended, especially with the weather going well and with the help of the weather. Compared to last year, sales continue by 15 percent in September and October, and in November and December, but we have a reservation flow." The target in tourism this year is 60 million tourists. If the season extends as expected, it is thought that this figure will be reached. There is an increasing interest in Turkey from countries where not many tourists have visited before. "We see developments in places that were not a target market before, China was not there, it has just begun. We see dynamism in the Latin American market, but this year Germany and Russia are leading the way, as it is every year. " Tourism professionals say that the air temperature will determine the hotel occupancy in the coming months. It is stated that if the temperature is above the seasonal normals, there may be a density.

400 tourism professionals will meet at the Bosphorus

The company, which started its service under the name Globemeets, organizes B2B networking organizations, destination-product-service promotion, information meetings and fam trip organizations that bring together tourism professionals with their stakeholders abroad. An important organization will start on September 22 in this area. “We will bring together both sides of tourism” Not only hotels, but also airline companies and agencies will mark the Globemeets B2B Networking Event, which will be held in Istanbul, where 400 companies from the tourism sector will take part. Among the institutions supporting the event are the International MICE Industry Association, Istanbul Travel Agencies Promotion and Development Association, MPI Turkey Club, Marketing Communicators Association, Site Turkey, All Event Technologies Industry Association and Turkey International Events Association. In addition to these organizations, many companies, especially Turkish Airlines, sponsored. We talked to Globemeets Co-Founder Hüseyin Kurt, who organized the event. Stating that there will be participation from 23 different cities, especially Istanbul, Kurt said, “DMCs, which provide local agency services in 30 different countries, will meet with 6 airlines and 3 tourism offices in one day and will compete against time and hold meetings. Our aim is to bring together both sides of tourism at the Bosphorus.” Explaining that sector representatives who want productive and profitable collaborations need new collaborations and opportunities, Kurt said, "There will be event management companies, congress agencies, outgoing incentive, leisure, FIT and outgoing cultural tourism segments among the guests." In addition, 6 airlines and 3 tourism offices will convey the most up-to-date information about the destinations they serve to industry stakeholders.

Pamukkale awaits visitors from China

After the start of the Kovid-19 epidemic, China suspended group tours to foreign countries in March 2020, and allowed these tours to be organized to 78 countries, including Turkey, on August 10, 2023. In Pamukkale, one of the most visited ruins in Turkey by Far Eastern tourists who are interested in cultural tours, tourism professionals have started working to attract Chinese tourists. Gazi Murat Şen, Vice President of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation, stated that the number of tourists coming to Turkey from China reached 426 thousand 344 in 2019, but it decreased to 30 thousand after the Kovid-19 epidemic, and last year, 89 thousand 515 tourists from this country were hosted. Expressing that the issuance of permission for group travels could bring the figures back to their previous level, Şen noted that they found remarkable increases in applications made to travel agencies for Turkey after the bans were lifted. Expressing that the arrival of Chinese tourists can significantly increase the number of visitors in Pamukkale, Şen said: "Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, China were the Far East countries where we received the most visitors. China was at the forefront of this. With the decrease in the number of Chinese guests, we were already having difficulties in meeting the targets. With the opening of China, in 2024, we will start seeing our Far Eastern guests intensively, especially in Pamukkale and Hierapolis. This is gratifying for us. When we look at the 2019 figures, we can see how important China is. In 2019, more than 426 thousand Chinese visited our country. We hosted about 90 percent of these visitors in Pamukkale and Hierapolis." "Flights should be increased" Şen stated that the Chinese mostly visit Istanbul, Cappadocia and Pamukkale in Turkey, and that they will focus on this market for the next season. Pointing out that flights should be enriched in order to increase the number of tourists coming from this country, Şen expressed that they want scheduled flights from different cities of China to start. Expressing that Turkey's share of the number of Chinese tourists in the world market is below the potential, Şen shared the following views: "The important thing here is transportation. We do not have a chance to bring guests from China except by plane. The more we increase the number of planes, the faster we will reach the Chinese tourist target. Also, flights to Denizli need to be increased. Tourists coming to Istanbul prefer to come to Denizli by plane rather than by land. If we can increase the flights between Denizli and Istanbul, we can host more Chinese guests in Denizli."

Tourist influx from Russia to Turkey

The recent events in Russia, which ranks first in the list of countries where Turkish tourism hosts the most tourists, have been followed with concern in the sector. After the head of the Russian mercenary company Wagner, Yevgeni Prigojin, revolted against Moscow, the eyes were turned to Russia with the ongoing developments. Although the Wagner crisis seems to have been overcome and possible civil war scenarios have subsided, tourism professionals were alert to possible reservation cancellations due to the crisis and tense environment in Russia. The possibility of a decrease in the number of Russian tourists with reservation cancellations was discussed. But the data for the first half of 2023 showed that Russia, Turkey's main tourism market, still maintains its leadership despite all these developments. 'NUMBER OF TOURISTS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED' In addition to the rapid recovery of the process, the positive messages from Russia also cleared the question marks in the sector in a short time. Evaluating the effects of the political tension created by the Wagner crisis on the sector, Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TÜRSAB) President Firuz Bağlıkaya stated that the developments will not affect the number of Russian tourists who prefer Turkey. Stating that current data show that Turkey will continue to be the most important tourism destination for Russians, Bağlıkaya said, "We do not expect a negative development in the Russian market in the 2023 season. There is no problem with the reservation flow. In this sense, we do not foresee any change in the Russian market.” 'RUSSIA IS THE FIRST MARKET THIS YEAR' President (AKTOB) Kaan Kavaloğlu, who stated that there was a loss of nearly 90 percent in the tourism movement from Ukraine to Turkey, which is one of the important markets, due to the war environment between Russia and Ukraine, said that this loss was replaced by the increasing demand in European markets this year. Kavaloğlu stated that the political climate after the Wagner crisis in Russia did not reflect negatively on the tourism flow; "Due to the war between Ukraine and Russia, one of our important markets, we did not think that we could easily reach 2019 figures, but there is a significant increase in the Russian market. In the ranking of the countries sending the highest number of tourists to Turkey, this year it is again in the first place, ahead of Russia, Germany and England. Especially when we look at the package programs of tour operators, Antalya and Turkey seem to be a very important destination. We expect this positive environment in foreign markets to continue in September and October, and we expect 2023 to end with good figures for the tourism sector." 'NO DELAY IN RESERVATIONS' Şükrü Cimrin, Member of the Board of Directors of Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) and Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV), evaluating the reflection of the latest developments on Alanya tourism; “The Wagner Group's declaration of revolt against Russia on the grounds that they were attacked, that they crossed to the city of Rostov on the border with Ukraine and besieged it, and then declared that they would march on Moscow brought up the possibility of confusion in Russia, which could lead to a civil war. The escalation of the tension made us, the tourism professionals, uneasy. It was possible for tourists coming from Russia to Turkey to postpone their vacation plans. But now, as a result of the agreement of both parties, this risk has disappeared. The agreement was a good development for everyone. The Russian market is very important to us. Currently, there is no disruption in the booking flow to Alanya from Russia. There is no situation that affects Russian tourists.

“Wrong pricing policy negatively affects the number of tourists”

Emphasizing that Turkey is an invaluable asset for tourists in terms of the richness and diversity of places to visit and discover, Sager Travel CEO Doğan Sager said, “We should change our price policy, taking into account the economic structure of the countries that visit us. Pricing work, concepts, leads the customer to go to different countries. The target of 100 billion dollars in 5 years is not a dream, but it is impossible with this system. Sager Travel CEO Doğan Sager said that they have organized and implemented many different tour packages in Turkey. In this field, Sager stated that by participating in fairs and Road-Shows organized in Turkey and abroad, they pioneered the recognition of these destinations by everyone; “At the same time, health tourism continues to make its name known to everyone in the Middle East with our efforts to promote our developing and renewed health services. In this way, the number of foreign patients who want to benefit from this service in our country is increasing day by day. In terms of the richness and diversity of places to visit and explore, Turkey is an invaluable value for tourists. After all the difficulties experienced during the pandemic process, the tourism season of 2022 was very fruitful in every way. The year 2023 is going to be much more challenging. This process is painful as we cannot get out of traditional patterns and prepare for the season with innovative approaches. The most important of these are the wrong and inconsistent price policy applied by many hotels, the inability to prepare new routes to visit, and the inability to effectively carry out promotional and marketing activities abroad. We have a unique geography in terms of the diversity of our natural and cultural heritage. Compared to other tourism countries, it adds value to us. Considering all these riches, important steps should be taken in promotion and marketing. The execution of tourism promotion and development policies by all tourism operators and authorized public institutions will enable them to reach their target faster." Stating that the Tourism Law No. 1618, which is still valid, is reviewed and adapted to today's conditions and demands without wasting any time, Sager mentioned that it will contribute to important developments; “In this way, the confusion in the functioning of the tourism sector will be eliminated, the reputation of the enterprises serving tourism will be increased, and most importantly, their deserved earnings will be increased. In this way, the annual tourism income in the country will also increase. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy had set a target: "In the tourism sector, an income of 100 billion dollars is targeted within 5 years". Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to achieve this goal with our current tourism policies. For example, the price of a 4-night package in a luxury hotel in Antalya is 100 thousand liras, while the same chain hotel in Egypt is 24 thousand liras for a 4-night package, causing tourists to be directed to those regions. While preparing a budget, we should also look at the prices of competing countries. However, we should change our price policy by taking into account the economic structure of the countries that visit us, so that the tourists visiting us prefer our country first. What I want to say here is not to drive our prices to the bottom, but to set them according to demand.” Stating that the tour packages and hotel concepts should be introductory and attractive for the region, Sager said, “Another sad example is that foreign tourists who come with the all-inclusive hotel concept applied in the Aegean and Mediterranean Regions never leave the hotel for 10 days. Various activities within the hotel also attract tourists. Visiting guests prefer to spend time at the hotel instead of seeing Aspendos, the historical Antalya castle, and the Manavgat waterfall. What is tourism actually? Isn't it living that culture and feeling the historical texture? Okay, I'm not saying that the tourist should not go to the sea. At least, the tour package sold includes a 4-day cultural tour program so that those tourists can tell about our historical beauties when they return to their country. The world is currently experiencing a major economic crisis. Even people who have not had financial problems until now, instead of using their holiday preference in favor of our country, turn to holiday packages with lower budgets in other countries. Therefore, we actually need everyone to keep the country's tourism alive. I hope we can catch 60 percent of the number of tourists we brought in 2022 this year. The season in tourism normally starts on April 15 and continues until October 15. This is how we know it. If it's the end of June and the season still hasn't started in Antalya, there is a serious problem. In all regions, we were well below expectations in April, May and June. We hope that we will not experience this in the remaining months and that our industry will see the value it deserves.”