There are countries that are especially lucky, and the tourist season there lasts all year round. As a rule, they can offer guests beach holidays, winter sports, and a rich excursion program. Previously, Turkey was not one of those countries: in the mid-90s, for our compatriots, it was a market for cheap goods, later turning into a foreign analogue of Sochi. But soon everything will change: recently, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Attila Koç stated that the country plans to reorient its tourist base to a year-round mode.
In the countries of the former Soviet Union, about 25% of holidaymakers choose this destination. In second place is Egypt, in third is Spain. In the structure of global tourism, Turkey currently ranks seventh. Will it be able to rise one step higher?
In the near future, Turkey plans to build about 50 new hotels and congress centers. According to experts, this will help solve some regional problems of the country, as well as balance hotel occupancy. Incidentally, Attila Koç has repeatedly emphasized that there are still areas in the country where tourism potential can be developed. However, for now, construction is planned only at existing resorts, i.e., primarily 'summer' Turkey will be developed.
But there is also such a concept as 'ski Turkey', which, in all likelihood, is designed to ensure the country's status as 'year-round'. For many lovers of Turkish beach holidays, it may be a mystery what to do there in winter. The marketing director of DETUR, Marat Dzhappuev, answers this question: 'Winter Turkey is, of course, ski resorts, golf, and, importantly, the best time for excursions. In summer, not all historical excursions are enjoyable: it is too hot. But when the heat subsides, you cannot find a better time. As for golf, there are five professional golf clubs in Belek. And Turkey's ski resorts have long been known to tourists. The decisive factor in the choice is the price-quality ratio, a large number of well-groomed slopes meeting the requirements of both professional skiers and beginners. And, of course, the visa-free regime.'
It should be thought that Turkey has chances to become a full-fledged year-round tourism country. Can we say that this will mean approximately equal tourist flows both in summer and winter? And what could a year-round Turkey look like when considered from the point of view of tourist activity?
'One cannot say that the number of tourists who come to the country in winter could be equal to or at least approach the number that visits the country in summer,' believes Marat Dzhappuev. 'Although Turkey has all the conditions to be a full-fledged year-round resort: there are mountains, beaches, and historical monuments. But the country is surrounded by seas on three sides, and beach holidays will always play the main role in the local tourism industry. At the same time, the number of people interested in holidays in Turkey specifically in winter is growing more and more – our company, for example, has been selling 'ski Turkey' for nine years. This year, we plan to double the tourist flow.'
This is not the first experience in global tourism practice of transferring a country from the category of 'single-season' to 'year-round'. A few years ago, such an experiment, and very successful, was undertaken by Egypt, which conducted an aggressive advertising campaign. Perhaps we should expect active advertising of Turkey covered in snow, with dashing skiers waving their hands in mittens invitingly from posters.
Based on materials from Travelonline.ru