South America's big-spending tourists arrived thanks to TV series; over a thousand families gave their children Turkish names...
Thanks to Turkish TV series, demand for Turkey from the South American markets surged. In the first 8 months, the number of tourists from South America, led by Argentina and Brazil and predominantly high-spending, rose by 70 percent to reach 165,000. Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB) President Timur Bayındır stated that double-digit increases from this region are also forecast for 2019. Bayındır recalled that, under the influence of Turkish TV series, more than a thousand families had given their children Turkish names.
In the South American markets, where Turkey hosts close to 250,000 tourists a year, led by Argentina and Brazil, the positive impact of Turkish TV series on tourism continues. South America, which has grown steadily over the past 10 years except for the decline in 2016, is said to still be difficult to characterise as a large market in terms of tourist numbers. By contrast, the proportional increases in the number of tourists arriving from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia have risen to a striking level. With the rise continuing this year as well, the total number of tourists arriving from South America in the first 8 months grew by 70 percent to reach 165,000. If current conditions continue, double-digit increases are also forecast for 2019. Meanwhile, it is reported that the tourists arriving from this region are predominantly in the upper income group and that their spending levels are high.
The rise has begun again
The Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB), which held meetings at the FIT Argentina Tourism Fair, one of South America's most important tourism fairs held a short while ago, prepared a research report on this market after the fair. In TÜROB's assessment of the matter, attention was drawn to the fact that the image of Turkey has been on the rise for the past five years thanks to the TV series broadcast in South America. TÜROB President Timur Bayındır, whose views were included in the report, recalled that the number of tourists arriving from Brazil and Argentina, South America's two locomotive markets, had risen again in 2017 and 2018 following the decline experienced in 2016. Noting that, despite being distant markets, South America holds promising potential for the future, Bayındır stated that double-digit growth is forecast for next year as well. Bayındır said: "The total number of tourists arriving from the Brazil, Argentina and Colombia markets, which hold significant potential for our country, had reached approximately 185,000 people in 2013. In 2014 and the following years, however, these figures entered a downward trend due to a number of security problems experienced in Turkey and neighbouring countries. However, as of 2017, very significant movements and increases in favour of Turkey began to be recorded in the market, led by Brazil and Argentina."
TV series actors should be used in promotion
Emphasising that the Turkish TV series that went on air in South American countries have also made a very significant contribution to promotion, Bayındır said: "In recent years, the fact that Turkish TV series have begun to be broadcast in Argentina and Brazil and have very substantial audiences in a time slot such as prime time makes them important for the promotion of our country. Under the influence of this trend, more than a thousand babies born in South American countries have been given Turkish names such as Ömer, Elif and Onur. Since the TV series actors have a serious fan base in the countries where they are broadcast, and since celebrity news is followed by large audiences in Latin American countries, we believe that using the TV series actors in the promotion of Turkey would be very useful and effective."
The following views were underlined in the report:
More than half of those travelling abroad from South America travel from Brazil and Argentina. The number of people travelling abroad from the two countries is around 20 million annually. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years as well.
The fact that most of those travelling abroad from Brazil and Argentina, especially on intercontinental trips, are people in the middle-upper or upper income group means that travel is less affected by changes in the economy.
The Brazil and Argentina markets, where the Catholic denomination is concentrated, hold significant faith tourism potential. The tendency to visit churches built in the eras of important saints who lived in our country, such as St. Paul and St. George, is increasing. For this reason, it should be planned to give importance to the promotion of faith tourism.
Considering that THY alone carries over 80,000 passengers a year from Brazil and Argentina to Istanbul, it becomes apparent that the number of tourists travelling on from our country in transit to other countries is high.
As a negative economic situation: the Argentine currency, the Peso, is gradually losing value against the US Dollar and is directly affecting purchasing choices.
The destinations preferred by tourists arriving from South America to Turkey are Istanbul, Cappadocia, Denizli (Pamukkale), Ephesus and Selçuk. They predominantly prefer cultural tours.
The flights between the two countries, THY's Istanbul-Buenos Aires round-trip services, are operated 7 days a week.
Turkish TV series accelerated tourist demand*
Turkish TV series accelerated tourist demand*
Year Brazil Argentina South America total
2010 65 22 119
2011 89 27 159
2012 89 28 166
2013 113 47 225
2014 91 44 203
2015 85 83 250
2016 42 62 154
2017 49 48 158
2017 (8 months) 29 32 95
2018 (8 months) 48 49 162
(*Thousand people)