Turkey’s Fethiye region has long been popular among Brits and, this year, the choice of places to stay is greater than ever before.
A boost in capacity in the Fethiye region is expected to help Olympic Holidays achieve 35% growth for Turkey as a whole for summer 2010.
Commercial director Photis Lambrianides says: “Fethiye is a most appealing spot. Its harbour is full of fishing boats, sailing boats and water taxis, and there are lots of places to eat and drink.
“Close by, the crescent-shaped beach at Olu Deniz is possibly the most photographed in the whole of Turkey. It’s another superb holiday location, with an outstanding range of hotels.”
Among them, Olympic has added the all-inclusive, three-star Club Sun City, in landscaped gardens at the foot of Mount Babadag and the Noa Hotels Olu Deniz Resort Hotel.
In Fethiye, Olympic has added two five-star properties: the all-inclusive, family-friendly Majesty Club Tuana and Park, and Ece Saray Marina and Resort, on the Fethiye harbour front.
Early bird discounts are available on bookings made by April 30, with up to £390 off per couple.
Prestige Holidays, which introduced a Turkey programme for the first time in 2009, has also added the Ece Saray Marina and Resort for 2010.
Marketing manager Nicky Shafe says: “We wanted to offer our clients greater choice in the destination.
“The Ece Saray has just 48 rooms, a gorgeous spa and pool and is booking well for this summer as it is already popular with British guests.”
Thomas Cook has added five all-inclusive options in the Fethiye area, as well as a small, five-star boutique property, the Oyster Residence, on the beach front of Olu Deniz. The property, which has just 26 rooms, is featured in the Unique and Boutique section of Thomas Cook’s Adult Escapes brochure.
Also new for Thomas Cook is the all-inclusive Hilton Dalaman Golf Resort and Spa in the lesser known area of Sarigerme.
Fethiye properties also make an appearance in Thomas Cook’s new, premium package brochure, The Style Collection 2010.
For example, the four-star-plus Hillside Beach Club, Fethiye, Turkey costs from £555 per person, full board, for seven nights in May.
The popular, family-friendly LykiaWorld Olu Deniz is being sold exclusively through Thomas Cook this year, and is included in the operator’s first AquaMania programme, a collection of exhilarating, water-based active family holidays.
Free child places and early booking discounts of 10% are available for bookings made until the end of March.
Seven nights full board at the four-star-plus LykiaWorld Olu Deniz costs from £559 per person in May.
Thomas Cook product manager for Turkey Vanessa Freeman says: “LykiaWorld Olu Deniz is a firm favourite for me and one of our most popular in Turkey.”
Meanwhile, Wings Abroad is offering 10% off bookings made before the end of February on resorts in Fethiye and surrounding resorts of Hisaronu, Ovacik, Sarigerme and Olu Deniz.
Exclusive Escapes is offering two themed breaks at the boutique Yediburunlar Lighthouse, situated between Fethiye and Kalkan. Its full-board Turkish vegetarian cookery week costs £1,200 per person in July, including flights, while its half-board trekking holiday costs £1,050 in April, including flights.
The operator also has discounts on gulet cruises on bookings made by April 30. exclusiveescapes.co.uk, 020 8605 3500
What to do
Many visitors head to Fethiye’s harbour where it is possible to take a gulet trip to nearby islands and Calis Beach, across the bay.
Other options include paragliding, jeep safaris and scuba diving.
Places to visit include the Lycian Rock Tombs, a Roman amphitheatre, the Saklikent Gorge, which is the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey, and Kayakoy, a deserted Greek village.
Jewel in the Crown says its most popular excursion is the Dalyan Farewell day tour, which people take on the last day of their holiday, costing £40 per person.
It includes a visit to the loggerhead turtle beach at Iztuzu and a traditional river-boat cruise to visit a mud bath and the rock tombs in Dalyan.
Lunch and dinner are included, as is the use of a hotel day room to rest, shower and change before catching a night flight.
Getting there
This summer, it will be easier than ever to get to Dalaman, which, at only 31 miles from Fethiye, is the nearest gateway.
Seat-only operator Avro has increased flights to Dalaman as part of a doubling of capacity for summer 2010 to Turkey.
Flights will operate once a week from Glasgow, East Midlands and Newcastle; twice a week from Luton; three times a week from Birmingham; seven times a week from Manchester; and nine times a week from Gatwick.
Avro managing director Michael Vinales says: “Our decision to significantly expand our flying programme to Turkey means we will be one of the largest, if not the largest, flight-only operators to the destination for this summer.
“We are confident we will be able to announce even further increases in capacity in the lead up to, and during, the summer season.”
Prices start at £69 per person, including taxes (0870 160 8181, avroagents.com).
New for 2010, Exclusive Escapes’ business-class passengers will have exclusive use of the private CIP Terminal at Dalaman, which means that, within 20 minutes of landing they will be through customs and in their air-conditioned transfer vehicle en route to their hotel, gulet or villa.
Business-class upgrades normally cost £450 return, but Exclusive Escapes has special offers of £230 per person for departures on May 1 or May 8, as well as 33% off all business-class bookings made before April 31 (020 8605 3500, exclusiveescapes.co.uk). In addition, easyJet flies from Gatwick to Dalaman.
Sample product
Olympic Holidays has 14 nights’ all-inclusive at the four-star Club Hotel Letonia in Fethiye for £1,099 per person in May, including flights and transfers.
0800 093 3322
Thomas Cook has seven nights at the four-star-plus Hillside Beach Club in Fethiye, staying on a full board-plus basis, from £555 per person in May, including flights. 0844 412 5970
A one-week break at the Ece Saray Marina and Resort, staying on a bed and breakfast basis, costs from £609 per person with Prestige Holidays, including an early booking offer saving £72 per couple if booked by March 31. 01425 480400
