Tourism
From The Report: Turkey 2012
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New visa regulations have provided for greater access to Turkey by new market segments, and the recent turmoil in the MENA region has also improved the nation’s profile as a safer destination for tourists. Regional visitors, in particular, have constituted an increased share of the numbers. These factors, combined with a vast increase in the MICE segment, saw a nearly 10% increase in visitor figures in 2011. A government initiative to support efforts in the health tourism segment is creating a pipeline for new projects, and the high number of over-booked hotels in Istanbul has likewise driven rapid development of new venues.

The chapter contains an interview with Kadir Topbas, the Mayor of Istanbul.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Making room for more: Ever so popular and with a promising future
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Long described as a “bridge of civilisations” by locals and travel writers alike, Turkey is now enjoying a new inspiring status: an island of stability. Surrounded by Arab uprisings and eurozone crises, the country is attracting attention and visitors with its economic growth and increasing international prominence. In 2011 Turkey hit its goal of 30m tourists and increased its income to $23bn in receipts, which equalled to 3% of GDP. A NEW DAWN: The exciting push is in part driven by profile-raisers,…

Interview

Welcoming visitors: OBG talks to Kadir Topba ş, Mayor of Istanbul
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Interview: Kadir Topba ş What changes to the city’s infrastructure could improve accessibility for tourists? KADIR TOPBAŞ Ş: Despite the global economic crisis, the number of tourists visiting Istanbul has risen by 300% since 2004. By the end of 2011, 10m tourists visited Istanbul, while approximately 30m came to Turkey in total. Istanbul is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world, alongside New York and Amsterdam. To keep up, Istanbul’s tourism infrastructure is improving…

Analysis

Neighbourhood guests: Closer regional ties are helping boost the number of visitors
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If Turkish tourism sector has been struggling to breaking into the high-value visitor market, the tides may be turning. The past two years have been characterised by a marked increase in arrivals from the Middle East. Drawn by Turkey’s growing regional presence, expanding facilities and cultural similarity, Middle Eastern guests are diversifying – and expanding – the sector’s revenue stream. Iran currently represents the fourth-biggest source of arrivals, with 1.9m visitors in 2011, a…