Affordability, connectivity propel growth
TURKEY dipped in
popularity following
terrorist attacks a
few years ago, but is now
staging a comeback, with
local operators reporting
outstanding growth for the
destination.
Gm South Africa and
US for On The Go Tours,
Alex Gonsalves, and
United Europe gm, Jacqui
Carr, report 120% and
30% growth respectively,
compared with the
previous financial year’s
figures.
Celeste Muir, marketing
manager of Thompsons
Holidays, agrees and says
Thompsons has also seen
above-average growth for
the destination this year.
“It all started when we
ran a Black Friday special
to Turkey in November.
The sales surprised
us all and demand for
the destination has
progressed steadily ever
since.”
Alexis Bekker, head
of sales and marketing
South Africa and Africa
for The Lux Collective,
says its resort in Bodrum
has reported an increase
in luxury tourism to this
region.
Operators attribute the
growth to the destination’s
affordability, easy visa
processes, great airline
connectivity, rich cultural
attractions, beaches and
shopping. Alexis adds
that Turkey has also
taken measures to bring
tourism back to the region
by increasing safety and
security
Four-star resorts seem
to be most popular with
the South African market,
with both Celeste and
Jacqui saying that hotels
and resorts were more
affordably priced than the
rest of the Mediterranean.
Alex confirms that On The
Go only uses four-star
properties on its escorted
group tours and says
these offer a standard
of accommodation that
South Africans are
accustomed to.
Cheaper than Athens
“When comparing
Istanbul and Athens on
a similar category fourstar hotel, Istanbul is
approximately R1 000
per person cheaper on
a three-night city stay.
Crete’s all-inclusive rates
compared with Antalya
are cheaper for the same
category hotels. It is
more affordable to get to
Antalya, however, and once
Greek ferry costs have
been added to the total
package, the price is quite
similar,” says Jacqui.
She says top-selling
regions are Istanbul and
Cappadocia with longer
itineraries frequently
including Konya,
Pamukkale and Kusadasi.
She has noted a growing
interest in all-inclusive
beach resorts and, along
with Celeste, mentions
traditional gulet cruises as
a popular way to explore
Turkey.
Alex says On The Go’s
most popular tour for
clients looking for a
cultural and historic
experience is a 10-day trip
covering Istanbul, Gallipoli,
Troy, Pergamum, Kusadasi,
Ephesus, Pamukkale and
Cappadocia.
Gm of Travel Vision,
Marelize Le Roux, adds
Topkapi Palace and Sanli
Urfa – the City of Prophets
– to this list.
Visa requirements are
also a big draw card. South
African passport holders
can apply for a free visa
online which is much
easier and more affordable
than a Schengen visa
application, say operators.
“Accessibility to Turkey
is great! Qatar, Emirates,
Etihad, Ethiopian Airlines,
Turkish Airlines and
Lufthansa are all good
options,” says Celeste.
New airport finally opens
AFTER a number of
delays, flight transfers
from Istanbul’s existing
Ataturk Airport to
the new US$12bn
(R176,5bn) Istanbul
Airport are taking place
over a period of 45
hours this month.
The new airport uses
the IST airport code
across reservation
systems.
The airport can handle
90 million people
annually and expects to
expand to a capacity of
200 million when phase
two is completed in
2023. This is expected
to make it the largest
airport in the world.
Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta
International Airport,
which services 104
million passengers per
year, is currently the
largest airport in the
world.
The airport’s awardwinning architectural
design features a
striking tulip-shaped
control centre that will
employ a staggering
225 000 people by
2025. Its duty-free zone
is also set to be one of
the biggest travel retail
zones in the world.
Book it!
• Thompsons Holidays is offering an 11-day Classics of Turkey
tour from R10 734 per person sharing. The tour includes a
blend of old and new, East and West, visiting Istanbul, Ankara,
Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Pergamum, Troy,
Canakkale, Dardanelles, Gallipoli and returns to Istanbul.
The tour includes 10 nights’ accommodation, breakfast daily,
one lunch, eight dinners, return airport-hotel transfers, a tour
guide throughout and luggage handling. Valid for travel until
November 1. T&Cs apply.
LUX* Bodrum adds wellness centre
THE LUX* Bodrum Resort
and Residence will open
between May 1 and
October 31. It will
feature the new Vitalica
Wellness centre offering
customised programmes,
consultations by medical
professionals, holistic
therapies, beauty and
anti-ageing procedures,
clean eating at the Vitalica
restaurant, diagnostic
testing and overall qualityof-life enhancement.
LUX* Bodrum is set on
its own peninsula on the
Turkish Riviera amidst
landscaped gardens that
stretch from hillside to
beachfront and offer
panoramic views from
every tier. The resort is
20 minutes from MilasBodrum airport and offers
91 rooms and suites, 19
residences and a villa.
Agent special
LUX* Bodrum Resort and
Residences is offering
an agent special starting
from €150 (R2 460) for a
seafront room and €160
(R2 625) for a deluxe
seafront room. Rates are
valid for sale from April 15
to May 15 and for travel
during May and September
2019. Rates are per room
per night on a bed and
breakfast basis. T&Cs
apply.
Did you Know?
Turkish Airlines passengers with a layover of between six and 24 hours in Istanbul qualify for a
complimentary tour of the city. Tour durations vary depending on the length of the layover and include
visits to Topkapi Palace, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower and the
Dolmabahce Palace as well as opportunities to experience Turkish cuisine.
Agent pick – Pamukkale
DIRECTOR of Cheshire Cat Travel,
Claire Hanley, says one of her
favourite spots in Turkey is Pamukkale.
Here, the ruins of the Roman city of
Hierapolis tower over a hillside of
shimmering white limestone terraces
filled with cascading turquoise thermal
springs.
Claire doesn’t recommend booking
clients on the day trips into the area.
She says these only include a bus
trip to the South Gate of the city, a
tour of the Amphitheatre and a short
photo stop in front of the travertines,
when there is so much more to see
at the site. She instead recommends
setting aside a full day to see this
fascinating combination of natural
phenomena and historic site. Claire
spent an entire morning exploring the
Roman city before wading barefoot
through the mineral pools and down
the mountainside, describing the
scenery as spectacular to photograph.
There are well-priced local buses
servicing the site, says Claire, which
can be booked on the day. She says
she felt very safe travelling in this
manner and adds that solo females
are seated next to each other on
bus trips. The local buses also serve
complimentary tea and ice-creams
and have complimentary WiFi.
Tips for foodies
Claire suggests trying Pide – the
Turkish equivalent of a pizza – a
flatbread filled with peppers, sliced
meat or cheese.
She also recommends Turkish icecream but says the prices vary wildly
between the smaller towns and bigger
cities but that big city vendors will
often discount if you complain. Claire
says buying an ice-cream in Turkey is
a whole experience, with merchants
arranging scoops with a flourish. She
says it is made with a resin ingredient
that prevents it from melting quickly
and adds a thicker toffeeish texture.
Floating over fairy-tale chimneys
CAPPADOCIA is known for the
hundreds of sedimentary rock
formations that are said to
resemble fairy-tale chimneys.
The area is also rich in Roman,
Byzantine, Persian and Christian
history and can be accessed by
air from Istanbul in under two
hours. Sightseeing highlights
include the underground city,
Jeep trips over the sand-dunes
and the famous hot-air ballooning
experience over the red valley.
Aadil Esack, gm product and
marketing for XL Travel Head
Office, says you are picked up
early from your hotel for the hotair balloon trip so that you take
off in the dark and watch the sun
rise over the valley. He describes
the sky lighting up to reveal a
parade of over 150 colourful
balloons floating peacefully over
the valley of rock formations.
Did you know?
Ethiopian Airlines launched a direct thrice weekly flight to Istanbul on April 1.
ET0720 departs Addis Ababa on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays at 23h05 and arrives
at Istanbul at 04h35 the next morning. ET0721 departs Istanbul on Wednesdays,
Fridays and Sundays at 01h10, arriving in Addis Ababa at 06h40 the next morning.
Book it!
Travel Vision is offering a 10 night Turkey Classic Super Saver from R18 974 per
person sharing. Experience Istanbul with all its hidden charms and marvel at the
unusual rock formations in Cappadocia and the calcium cascades in Pamukkale.
Visit the Roman ruins at Ephesus before moving on to Troy and Gallipoli. Includes
return airfare and taxes ex-Johannesburg, 10 nights’ accommodation in superior
and moderate first-class hotels, daily breakfast and dinners as per itinerary,
entrance to all sites and excursions, English-speaking guide. Valid for travel until
October 31. T&Cs apply.
