Having enjoyed a buoyant tourism year in 2018, Turkey has once again caught the interest of the industry's leading hotel chains. Wyndham, one of the world's leading hotel giants that serves in 80 countries with 9,200 hotels and 810,000 rooms, is gearing up to make a move in the country.
The brand appeals to the luxury segment and addresses the high-income group, which is the new strategy of Turkish tourism. Currently serving with six brands including Wyndham, Wyndham Grand, Ramada by Wyndham, Ramada Encore by Wyndham, TRYP by Wyndham, and Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, the chain intends to introduce its seventh brand, La Quinta, to the Turkish market in a year.
Edwin Broers, the Wyndham Hotel Group's regional vice president in central and eastern Europe, said they incorporated La Quinta last year, highlighting that they are planning to expand this brand strategically in European countries, including Turkey.
"We are currently in talks with investors. We aim to open our first hotel within one year at the latest," he added, recalling that they entered the Turkish market 13 years ago.
"In the beginning, we were opening hotels in Istanbul, Antalya and Ankara. Now we operate in Rize, İsparta, Uşak and Adana as well. We will continue to invest in Anatolian provinces because Turkey has a very strong potential," Broers noted.
Explaining that Turkey is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world, Broers said it came fifth in 2018, leaving the U.K. behind in the rankings. He further explained that they operate in Turkey with 76 hotels, adding that they open an average of 15 hotels per year and are planning to reach 100 hotels by the end of 2020.
