Diverse strategies amid strong recovery

Turkey is making a strong comeback this year after a slump in 2006. While the Antalya region is still focusing on massive hotel complexes, other areas such as Alanya are trying to position differently.

The Turkish tourism ministry is hopeful of returning this year to the visitor levels of 2005, the country’s record tourism year. After a good start to 2007, Turkey is on course “at least to reach” the 2005 visitor figures, said Özgur Özarslan, marketing chief of the culture and tourism ministry, at the third European-Turkish Tourism Summit in Bodrum. The German market generated a 13% rise in the first quarter. The successful comeback was due to heavier spending on tourism promotion, and the new advertising campaign, he said. Paul Schwaiger, head of the German-Turkish airline Sun Express, predicted a good summer, while Michael Kimmer, head of the TUI incoming agency Tantur, referred to double-digit growth rates.

In the main tourist region of Antalya, the massive expansion of hotel capacity is continuing. In Belek, for example, seven new luxury resorts are due to open this summer, and a total of 12,000 new beds is expected to come on to the market. This will bring the resort’s total capacity towards the mark of 50,000 beds. Although the quality of the new hotels has been widely praised, there are concerns that it will prove difficult to fill them in their first year of operation. Belek is also extending its reputation as a golfer’s paradise by adding four new courses to the six existing ones by 2008.

In contrast, the city of Alanya, located further east on the Mediterranean coast, is taking a different path. Once the cradle of tourism on the Turkish Riviera, the city suffered until recently from outdated hotels and poor infrastructure. But mayor Hasan Sipahioglu has pushed through a modernisation programme, including a city bypass, renovation of the beach promenade, pedestrianisation of the city centre, new parks and entertainment centres. Many of the small city hotels have been renovated and upgraded. A new marina is under construction, and the port will be extended to take cruise ships. Instead of competing on price and size, Alanya aims to position itself as a quality destination with a lively city centre, countless restaurants and cafes. But the lack of a local airport and reliance on long transfer times from Antalya remain major obstacles. Some tourism managers are also concerned about a spate of new five-star hotels in Konakli and Incekum to the west of the city which may be forced to undercut on prices to win business.