Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, chairman of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association, said Türkiye needs to create new tourism stories, diversify its destinations and develop experience-focused products to strengthen its position in global tourism.
Kavaloğlu said they had examined the tourism policies of France and Spain, adding that successful destination management models could serve as a guide for Türkiye. Noting that Antalya and Istanbul account for approximately 80 percent of Türkiye’s tourism activity, Kavaloğlu said spreading tourism across the country would contribute to the sector’s development.
Emphasis on destination-specific marketing
Kavaloğlu said Spain conducts marketing tailored to 17 destinations and highlighted the importance of coordinated work between central and local administrations in tourism. Noting that France also carries out initiatives targeting different destinations, Kavaloğlu said Türkiye has significant potential in city, resort, ski and winter tourism.
Kavaloğlu said a large share of tourism activity in France is concentrated in a limited part of the country, explaining that tourism professionals therefore use different marketing methods in 25 pilot regions. He stressed that Türkiye should also move beyond its existing tourism centers and create new destinations.
Experience-focused tourism areas
Kavaloğlu said Türkiye should not remain limited to sea, sand and sun tourism, adding that visitors could also be offered experiences involving history, art, cultural heritage, gastronomy, shopping and rural life, as well as hot-air balloon rides, paragliding, skiing and thermal springs.
Kavaloğlu said Antalya hosts approximately 17 million foreign tourists a year, adding that this volume has created a significant tourism ecosystem and employment in the city.
Current tourist volume should be preserved
Addressing views that the number of tourists should be reduced in favor of targeting higher-spending visitors, Kavaloğlu said Antalya’s current tourism volume must be preserved.
Kavaloğlu said the ecosystem created by 16.5-17 million tourists should not be disrupted, adding that more qualified visitors should be added to the existing volume without reducing the number of tourists.
