The MÜSİAD 105th General Administrative Board Meeting on the Development of Qualified Tourism was held under the hosting of the MÜSİAD Alanya Branch.
MÜSİAD President Mahmut Asmalı said, "In 2022 it is targeted to reach 42 million tourists and USD 35 billion in revenue. The sector's projection for 2028 is to reach 120 million tourists and USD 100 billion in revenue."
In his speech at the MÜSİAD 105th General Administrative Board on "The Development of Qualified Tourism", attended by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alparslan, Asmalı said that, as in every sector, in the tourism sector too they are advancing by putting their signature to innovative strategies, cooperation and new business models.
Asmalı, who expressed that they will work until they make Türkiye a world brand in tourism, said, "Despite all the developments experienced, the tourism sector has the power to raise Türkiye's perception in the national and global perspective to the highest level. Despite the negative effects of the pandemic, in 2021 our country exceeded 29 million in the number of visitors from abroad and USD 24 billion in tourism revenues. These figures correspond to an increase of 83 percent in the number of visitors and of 100 percent in revenue compared to 2020."
Asmalı, who conveyed that the difficulties experienced across the tourism sector in earlier periods had been managed masterfully, stated that the most important method of gaining immunity against all crises is to turn towards market diversity.
The trend in tourism changed during the pandemic period
Asmalı, who expressed that steps should also be taken in the tourism sector to enliven domestic tourism with alternative types of tourism, noted that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is implementing a very effective strategy at this point. Explaining that as MÜSİAD they closely follow the innovative advances of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Tourism Development Agency, Asmalı said, "In line with these actions, it is targeted to reach 42 million tourists and USD 35 billion in revenue in 2022. The sector's projection for 2028 is to reach 120 million tourists and USD 100 billion in revenue."
Expressing that it has been observed that a trend has formed in Türkiye and around the world during the pandemic period shifting towards alternative types of tourism instead of all-inclusive accommodation establishments, Asmalı stated that being able to offer new experiences to domestic and foreign tourists within this scope should be the most important focal point of all stakeholders operating in the tourism sector.
Underlining that they must continue to develop innovative projects in order to carry the country's recognition abroad to the highest level, Asmalı said the following: "It is of great importance that sports tourism events such as Formula 1 and cycling races, winter tourism organizations, nature and adventure tourism, cultural tourism activities, Hajj and Umrah organizations, the halal tourism initiative, our health and thermal tourism potential, series-film tourism, wedding tourism, the innovative services of chain hotels and gastronomy-focused projects identified with different provinces should accelerate and be announced to broad audiences. Within the scope of the 2023 Tourism Strategy, steps will be taken to draw up Türkiye's map of flavours, to create gastronomy routes, to develop cultural tours and health tourism and to raise tourists' shopping expenditure. New cultural routes and routes for off-road and cycling tourism will be created. The number of bicycle-friendly hotels will be increased. Alongside our main markets that send tourists to Türkiye in large numbers, rising markets in the Far East and Pacific regions such as China, India, South Korea and Japan will also be focused on."
Asmalı added that in 2022 and beyond they have the experience and employment strength to carry Türkiye's tourism potential to far brighter tomorrows on the axis of service, experience and satisfaction.
Asmalı presented an Orphan Sponsorship Certificate to the tourism sector representatives who took part in the panel on "The Development of Qualified Tourism" within the scope of MÜSİAD's Great Social Responsibility Project.
