Turkey: 20 selling tips for travel agents

The market for Turkey is heating up, so don’t stick to selling beach holidays. Linsey McNeill shares some alternative ways to pitch the country

Turkey is set to be one of this season’s top sellers. But if your knowledge of the country is limited to the beach resorts of Bodrum and Marmaris, here are some tips and ideas to help you maximise sales.

Find a beach alternative

Turkey is about more than its beaches. Explore sales manager Greg Thurston said: “Our tours offer sea kayaking on the Mediterranean coast, cycling and trekking in Cappadocia, and hiking trips with overnight stays in village homes.”

Pre-book excursions

Encourage clients to experience Turkish culture by pre-booking trips to nearby attractions. Resorts on the Mediterranean coast are closest to the ancient underground cities of Cappadocia while the Roman city of Ephesus and the Pumukkale hot springs are accessible from resorts on the Aegean coast.

Go boutique

“Turkey boasts some excellent boutique hotels that don’t cost the earth,” said Turkish Places product manager Christine Mayne.

Get a gulet

Gulet cruises on traditional wooden boats are a great way to discover the Turkish coastline and are an excellent way to relax.

Try some Turkish cuisine

Encourage clients to try more authentic Turkish food such as meze, as well as tourist favourites of doner and shish.

Point them to Princes

Customers can extend a city break to Istanbul with a day trip to the Princes’ Islands. The 90-minute ferry ride costs just £2 return.

Highlight the value

Tell clients that as Turkey is outside the eurozone it offers “phenomenal value”, said somewhere2stay product manager Kate Buchan.

Grab the grey market

Cultural tours of the Turkish interior are especially popular among the over-50s. Cosmos Tourama’s Grand Tour takes in sites such as Gallipoli, Troy and Cappadocia.

Advise a cover-up

Tell clients to dress conservatively in rural areas and religious sites and observe local customs.

Tie the knot in Turkey

Recommend Turkey for beach weddings. Thomas Cook product manager Vanessa Bailey recommends Olu Deniz, while the five-star Mediterranean coast hotels are ideal for honeymoons.

Find the perfect match

Match clients to resorts, said Cosmos product manager Gemma Carroll. “Bitez is good for water sports, while Olu Deniz is perfect for relaxation.”

Sell the facilities

Many resort hotels have good facilities such as spas and golf courses and clients will often be able to find a mud bath or hammam.

Escape to Dalaman

The Dalaman region is ideal for honeymoons or romantic escapes, said Carroll of Cosmos. The operator has reintroduced Dalyan in the Dalaman region.

Highlight access

“Turkey is accessible from all major UK airports and a large number of regional airports,” said Thomas Cook’s Bailey. Monarch has a peak-season mid-week Manchester-Antalya flight starting this month.

Offer flexibility

Regular flights mean operators are able to offer flexible durations. Thomas Cook offers three, four, 10 and 11-night holidays in addition to standard seven and 14-night packages.

Focus on families

Turkey is a good choice for families as many hotels are on the beach and some offer interconnecting rooms. For larger families, Kosmar recommends the child-friendly
Club Orka Villas in Ovacik, near Olu Deniz.

Sell a shopping dream

Turkey is a shopper’s paradise – especially Istanbul where you can pick up replica designer outfits, handbags and shoes. Haggling is expected, in shops as well as markets.

Go upmarket

Those with cash to splash should be directed to Turkbuku, a stylish resort popular with the country’s wealthier residents.

Make a splash

Turkish resorts have caught up with the western Mediterranean in terms of the variety and quality of water sports on offer, such as jet skiing, paragliding and windsurfing.

Book a late bargain

Recommend Turkey for the October half-term break, suggested Kosmar reservations manager Mike Outhwaite, adding, “There are some good end-of-season bargains and the beaches will be less crowded.”

Sample product

Based on the 2008 season

Kuoni Worldwide has three nights at the Ritz-Carlton in Istanbul, including flights and transfers, from £816 per person in November.

Turkish Places offers seven nights’ self-catering in a cottage in Bitez with a seven-night gulet cruise from £735 per person including flights and transfers.