Turkey has thanked UK agents for contributing to a “very successful” first half of the year for the destination as it heads towards record annual arrivals from its third-largest source market.
The country welcomed nearly 1.8 million UK visitors in the first six months, representing an increase of
19% year on year, and hopes to hit 4.5 million by the end of the year.
Ismail Bütün, general manager of the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, said agents’ help would be vital in the coming months and made a plea for their continued support.
More: UK tourists to Turkey rose 19% in first half of 2024
“If you’re a travel agent, it’s easy for you to pick whatever your customer is interested in because we have it in Turkey,” he said.
The country received a record 3.8 million UK visitors last year, with the top destinations being Antalya, Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Izmir and Istanbul.
While the family market is strong during the summer season, the tourist board is attempting to promote year-round travel and distribute visitors more widely.
Bütün said considerable success had already been achieved, adding: “Istanbul is a fabulous city and you
can come throughout the year and enjoy the food, art and shopping.
“Antalya is famous for family holidays, but if you’re interested in nature, you can go on a one-hour drive to one of the most beautiful canyons in the region.”
Golf trips in Belek are increasingly popular outside the summer, Bütün said, while elsewhere there are opportunities for windsurfing and paragliding.
He added: “In winter, there are excellent places to enjoy in the east. You can walk on a frozen lake, enjoy 2,000-year-old ancient ruins and we have good ski resorts in Anatolia and Marmara.”
Bütün said fam trips wouldcontinue to be key and he encouraged agents to learn more about Turkey’s seven regions by visiting the GoTürkiye website.
This week, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said they had extended the 2024 season to Bodrum from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Stansted to mid-November because of demand, while Turkish-German carrier SunExpress recruited James Harrison as UK and Ireland country sales manager as it targets further growth.