Turkey’s ambitious targets

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director—ME, ATM & IBTM Arabia, talks about how Turkey’s figures for the third quarter of 2017 show it’s well on track to achieving its goal of becoming a major global tourism market by 2023.

Turkey’s tourism industry is recovering, with a strong focus on the MiCE sector and, without a doubt, there’s a long list of compelling reasons to choose Turkey for your next business event. The bounce back is clear evidence that travellers have renewed confidence in Turkey following the implementation of successful security initiatives and political stability. This government action is supported by copious competitive advantage, market strengths and vehement determination to deliver excellence. From raising visitor numbers, Turkey’s tourism sector is forecast to see revenues grow to $30 billion in 2018. In an aim to raise numbers further, the government’s initiative offers incentives to tour operators and up to 38 million are expected to visit the country this year. This is a position of strength the Turkish government is keen to expand on in its 2023 Turkish Tourism Strategy.

Additionally, the country’s tourism centres – Istanbul and Antalya – have received billions of dollars in investment, with an overhaul of their infrastructure and transport networks in preparation for increased visitors. Major airports – Dalman, Bodrum and Antalya – have received private funding for modernisation and upgrades. Getting between the many attractions of these cities is now quicker and easier than ever before.

Turkey’s advantageous geographic location as a natural bridge between Europe and the Middle East, makes Istanbul an excellent choice for international conventions and exhibitions. It’s a central meeting point for international conference delegates, coming from Asia and Europe. Istanbul was ranked 23rd in the 2017 ICCA rankings, based on the number of international association meetings hosted here.

As a global tourism magnet, getting to Turkey has always been easy with plentiful connections from worldwide destinations. The new Istanbul International Airport – opened in 2018 – has added even more capacity offering flights between 350 destinations and handling 150 million passengers per year. A telling indicator of Turkey’s tourism ambitions is the intention for the airport to become one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs. When fully operational, it will serve 3,000 flights daily and is expected to be the largest airport in the world.

Turkey has its sights set on welcoming 50 million tourists to the country every year by 2023. To achieve its ambitious targets, a core aspect of the county’s tourism strategy is to capitalise on the opportunities afforded by its excellent location and cutting-edge venue facilities.