Representatives of the European tourism sector shared their expectations about Turkey and said they are hopeful for the country's tourism this year.
British tour operator Thomas Cook's CEO Peter Fankhauser said Turkey is an outstanding holiday destination with polite people, excellent quality, good service, beautiful beaches and a lot of culture, adding that Turkey has everything tourists want.
Pointing out that there has been an increase in reservations in Turkey, especially this year, Fankhauser stressed that Turkey has enormous potential. "As Thomas Cook, we are closing the gap very quickly. We're almost approaching our pre-2015 level," he noted. Fankhauser said they are very satisfied with the developments in Turkey, adding that they want to win the favor of customers in this regard. "This is an ongoing task as tour operators and Turkey as the host nation. Of course, there should be investments in infrastructure, airports and transport. If all these are achieved, there is a very nice period ahead for Turkey," he added.
German Travel Agencies Association (DRV) Chairman Norbert Fiebig said Turkey has become an increasingly popular country for tourists. "In 2017, the number of reservations and sales clearly rose. The consumer situation in 2018 is especially pleasing. Currently, sales have doubled compared to the same period of the previous year. There is an atmosphere of return here," Fiebig said.
Feibig noted that Turkey is admired as a holiday destination, highlighting that Germans enjoy the hospitality of Turkish people. "Turkey offers things that can't be found elsewhere. In the hotels, the price-service relationship is very good, especially at all-inclusive offers for families. The infrastructure is great. The hotels are first class." Deniz Uğur, CEO of Switzerland-based Bentour, said bookings to Turkey are much better this year, stressing that this year's situation is two to three times better than last year. Uğur said Bentour's projects are not aimed at increasing the number of tourists. "We need to find quality customers. This is what Turkey deserves anyway. Our hotels are very good, and we are very good at service. As Bentour, we will keep the quality high," Uğur continued.
