TÜROB October Monthly Information Meeting and Traditional Luncheon held…
The Türkiye Otelciler Birliği October “Monthly Information Meeting and Traditional Luncheon” was held with strong participation from the tourism and economic community, hosted by the Grand Hyatt İstanbul.
Speaking at the event, TÜROB President Müberra Eresin noted that Turkish tourism has written a success story throughout the history of the Republic, and said: “We take justified pride in the hundred years of development and achievements the Republic has provided us. This development will continue. The great progress made by the tourism sector gives us great hope for the future. Turkish tourism has grown from a total of 2 million tourists to 50 million, and from a bed capacity of 85,000 to 1,700,000. Today the total cost of tourism investments has reached approximately 100 billion dollars, and despite the crises experienced, the number of people employed has risen to around one and a half million. The tourism sector has today become a leader among the sectors that provide the most employment for women. Türkiye is now among the top 10 countries in the world that host the most tourists. Our tourism facilities and our quality of service are of a standard that can set an example for the world. All of these gains are a gift to us from the Republic. We take justified pride in the hundred years of development and achievements the Republic has provided us. I commemorate with gratitude and remembrance all our martyrs and veterans, foremost among them the founder of our Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Long live the Republic,” he said.
Tourism, a strategic sector
Saying “Throughout the history of our Republic, very few sectors have achieved such success,” Eresin continued: “Our tourism sector, which must further strengthen its leading role in the country's development, is a strategic sector that directly or indirectly feeds 54 sectors, creates high added value without requiring imported inputs, possesses qualified employment capacity, and generates an annual average of 45 billion dollars in net foreign currency income. Through the foreign currency income it provides, the tourism sector has also taken on a critical role in maintaining macroeconomic balances. With the successful investments and experience of our members, it is clear that they play an important role in the country's economy, tourism infrastructure and the spread of employment. As TÜROB, we are delighted to have together laid the pioneering foundations that increase the competitiveness of Turkish tourism and make this strength sustainable.”
Our wish is for peace to be achieved as soon as possible
Touching on the war between Israel and Palestine, Eresin said the following on the matter: “First the Russia-Ukraine war, and now the Israel-Palestine war. An event occurring anywhere in our globalized world has come to affect everywhere, near and far. For this reason, from the very first day of the war, both the tourism and aviation sectors were, as always, among the first to be negatively affected. As representatives of the tourism sector, our wish and hope is for the conflicts to end as soon as possible. In the war taking place between Israel and Palestine, no justification can excuse the killing or harming of innocent children, women, the elderly and civilians. With regard to resolving the events, our President's sensitive and balanced stance and the diplomatic contacts he has pursued place Türkiye in an important and key role for finding a solution in such matters as much as possible.”
Isolated incidents are affecting the Middle East and Gulf market
Recalling a number of isolated negative incidents directed at citizens of Middle Eastern and Gulf countries in recent times, Eresin said: “We follow with sorrow how these incidents are being exaggerated and brought onto the public agenda by circles wishing to defame our country.” Eresin also expressed the following views on the matter: “We are aware that the main aim of such reports is to negatively affect tourism demand coming from the Middle East and Gulf region, which has entered the ranks of our locomotive tourism markets. We make every effort within our power to always show the best hospitality to all our guests coming to our country, whether from the Middle East or other countries. We would also like to state that we support the work being carried out to reduce the effects of these negative, biased reports, foremost by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and TGA, as well as by the Ministry of Trade and our relevant stakeholders.”
Support for the discount campaign
Noting that, as a sector, they support the discount campaign organized as part of the fight against inflation in the 100th anniversary of the Republic, Eresin said: “Following our President Erdoğan's calls, after cabinet meetings, for all sectors to lower prices, our national and local companies did not remain indifferent to the issue and announced their discounts and campaigns to the public. Following our talks with our Minister of Trade Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, as TÜROB we stated, together with our members, that we support the discount campaign organized as part of the fight against inflation in the 100th anniversary of the Republic. The names of our members participating in the campaign will be published and kept up to date on the website of our Ministry of Trade. I invite all our members, whom I am confident will more than do their part and show sensitivity on this matter in the fight against inflation, to take part in the campaign.
Current status of occupancy rates
Providing information on current hotel occupancy rates as well, Eresin said:
According to the report prepared specially for TÜROB by STR Global, hotel occupancy across Türkiye stood at 68.8 percent in September 2023, a 12 percent decline compared with the same month of the previous year. In the January-September 2023 period, occupancy was 59.0 percent, a 12 percent decline compared with the same period of the previous year. The average daily room rate (ADR) was 139 Euros in September 2023, a 1.5 percent decline compared with the same month of the previous year, and 135 Euros in the January-September 2023 period, a 16 percent increase.
Revenue per available room (RevPAR) was 96 Euros in September 2023, a 13 percent decline compared with the same month of the previous year, and 80 Euros in the January-September 2023 period, a 2.5 percent increase.
İstanbul also declined
In İstanbul, hotel occupancy stood at 76.5 percent in September 2023, a 12.6 percent decline compared with the same month of the previous year. In the January-September 2023 period, occupancy was 64.7 percent, a 13 percent decline compared with the same period of the previous year. In İstanbul, the average daily room rate (ADR) was 151 Euros in September 2023, a 7.3 percent decline compared with the same month of the previous year, and 148 Euros in the January-September 2023 period, a 13 percent increase.
Revenue per available room (RevPAR) was 115 Euros in September 2023, a 20 percent decline compared with the same month of the previous year, and 95 Euros in the January-September 2023 period, a 3 percent decline.”
The meeting was attended by İstanbul Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Dr. Coşkun Yılmaz, İTO Board Member Bahadır Yaşık, former TÜROB President Timur Bayındır, TÜROB founding member Demir Sözmen, along with numerous representatives of public institutions and local government, Consuls General, Consuls and foreign mission representatives, the presidents and executives of NGOs operating in the tourism sector, TÜROB members, guests and members of the press.
In the final part of the meeting, President Müberra Eresin presented plaques to the event's host, Grand Hyatt İstanbul General Manager Rufat Babayev, and to the new members who recently joined TÜROB.