German official: Turkey a model to emulate in aviation and infrastructure

Germany's coordinator for maritime affairs and tourism, Christoph Ploss, said Turkey's success in aviation and infrastructure projects is a source of inspiration for Germany. Speaking at a reception in Berlin, Ploss noted they have closely followed the rapid construction of Istanbul Airport.

Scraper SystemJune 24, 2026, 11:20 AM

German official: Turkey a model to emulate in aviation and infrastructure

Germany's government coordinator for maritime affairs and tourism, Christoph Ploss, underscored the strategic importance of tourism ties with Turkey, stating that his country should draw on Turkey's experience in aviation and infrastructure projects.

Speaking at a summer reception hosted by the German Travel Association (DRV) at the Turkish Embassy in Berlin on Tuesday evening, Ploss highlighted the deep-rooted relations between the two countries and the progress Turkey has made in aviation and infrastructure.

Ploss said Germany has much to learn from Turkey in aviation and infrastructure, and reported that negotiations on the "future of infrastructure" law, seen as one of the tourism sector's vital projects, have been completed.

Praise for Istanbul Airport

Noting that the law in question will not only allow larger budgets to be allocated to infrastructure projects but also accelerate the speed at which these resources are turned into investment and implementation projects, Ploss said Germany should take inspiration from Istanbul's experience in this field.

Stressing that they have closely followed the construction speed and ongoing expansion work at Istanbul Airport, Ploss said, "Having a strong aviation hub creates a solid foundation for the tourism sector and the national economy. That is why we are following the course Turkey has charted with Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Airport. I don't know if we can catch up with it in this area, but Turkey constitutes a model for us to emulate."

$60 billion trade volume target

Turkey's Ambassador to Berlin, Gökhan Turan, also addressed the reception, pointing to the importance of high-level contacts and strategic dialogue between the two countries. Turan stated that Turkey and Germany aim to increase their bilateral trade volume from $52 billion to $60 billion on balanced and sustainable foundations, and to strengthen their economic partnership through new areas of cooperation.

Touching on tourism data, Turan noted that Turkey has risen to fourth place globally in international visitor numbers, with 64 million visitors and revenues exceeding $65 billion. Emphasizing that Turkey's southwestern coastline, Istanbul and the Aegean region remain popular destinations for German tourists, Turan added that the country ranks third in the world with 580 Blue Flag beaches.

Strong interest from German tourists

DRV President Albin Loidl noted that more than 6 million German tourists chose Turkey last year and that this interest continues to grow. Highlighting that Turkey offers an unparalleled balance between price and service in the tourism market, Loidl said, "After a brief slowdown in bookings in March, we are observing a very strong rebound in demand. I am quite optimistic that Turkey will sustain its tourism success today and in the future."

Loidl added that the secret to this success lies in strong infrastructure and the extraordinary hospitality of the Turkish people.

Source: Anadolu Ajansı

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German official: Turkey a model to emulate in aviation and infrastructure