Comment: The trade has key role to play in supporting Turkey

The power of travel and tourism to support nations in times of need is well known, and it has come to the fore once again following the tragic recent events in Turkey and Syria.

The focus was understandably on aid and assistance in the immediate aftermath, with many firms organising fundraising efforts and direct support for those affected.

And while those crucial efforts are ongoing, of equal importance will be how the sector continues to back a destination which has proved so crucial to its own recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

This week, Classic Collection made a point of noting how many of its Turkey customers had signalled their desire to continue to support the country as it unveiled an expansion to its programmes.

And having spoken personally to the bosses of the UK’s two largest operators in recent weeks, I know how much Jet2 and Tui are also committed to one of their biggest destination partners.

As always, the trade’s expertise has been crucial during this period, as customers understandably sought reassurance about whether their holidays would be affected – and whether it was appropriate to travel at all.

The message from Turkey’s tourism industry was a clear ‘yes’, with the sector an absolutely crucial pillar of the nation’s economy and the country remaining an open and safe place to visit.

Operators and agents alike have also been able to reassure their clients about the lack of direct impact of the quakes in tourist areas, with beach favourites Antalya and Izmir respectively 500 and 690 miles away from the affected area and Istanbul more than 620 miles away.

As we also reported this week, the Irish Travel Agents Association became the latest body to announce an event in Turkey this year, with its annual conference due to take place in Antalya on October 10-15.

This will follow Iata's AGM in Istanbul in June and will be just before Abta’s showpiece Travel Convention, which is due to take place in Bodrum from October 30, and both will be perfect opportunities for the UK and Irish trade to experience the destination after what looks set to be a strong summer season.

Turkey has certainly invested heavily in its trade partners in recent years, with more than 3.3 million British travellers visiting last year alone.

With every visit this year helping the sector and country’s recovery, it is affirming to see that support now being returned.