The Deputy General Director of the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), Berna Gedik, highlighted the importance of targeting new markets during the traditional September meeting organized by the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB) in Belek Tourism Center in Antalya. Gedik emphasized the goal of reaching 60 million tourists and 60 billion dollars in revenue by the end of the year, underscoring the need to protect existing markets while creating market diversity through attracting visitors from new markets. She also mentioned the importance of diversifying destinations and brands in order to achieve these goals.
Gedik stressed the need to expand the tourism season to 12 months and across all 81 provinces, as well as increasing the per capita spending on overnight stays. She pointed out that each market has different demands, giving an example that the Chinese market prefers romantic vacations, with Chinese women seeking marriage proposals in hot air balloons in Cappadocia. To cater to these demands, promotional films are tailored accordingly and aired on the most watched television channels in each country.
Gedik noted that tourism is evolving, with efforts being made in various areas such as the Lycian Way, cycling, and religious routes. AKTOB President Kaan Kavaloğlu mentioned that according to 2023 data, Istanbul and Antalya are among the most visited cities worldwide. He highlighted the popularity of iconic structures such as Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Blue Mosque in Istanbul, as well as ancient sites like Aspendos, Perge, and Phaselis in Antalya. Kavaloğlu also drew attention to the vulnerability of the travel and tourism sector to cyber attacks, ranking third on Trustwave’s 2023 Global Security Report.
The issue of increased fake hotel reservations in recent years was brought to light by Kavaloğlu, who warned about the copying of hotel websites to deceive guests with counterfeit accounts. He emphasized the need for increased awareness and measures to prevent such fraudulent activities. Kavaloğlu also announced the upcoming 14th International Resort Tourism Congress to be held on November 20-21, focusing on important topics such as cybersecurity. He mentioned that 29,000 tourism residences in Turkey have been certified, with a large portion located in Muğla and Antalya.
Kavaloğlu highlighted that over 110,000 foreigners own properties in Antalya, emphasizing the importance of ensuring these properties comply with tourism laws for proper utilization. He stressed the collective responsibility of ensuring that properties are used in accordance with regulations, especially those intended for tourism purposes. The meeting was attended by various officials including Governor Hulusi Şahin, Chief of Police İlker Arslan, and Jandarma Commander Tarık Hekimoğlu, along with representatives from the tourism industry and the Consul of Kyrgyzstan in Antalya, Zhanat Rasulzhanov.
