The activity seen in the UK and German markets in early bookings in Kuşadası and Didim, one of the prominent centers of summer tourism, made tourism professionals happy.

Tacettin Özden, Board Member of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency and President of the Kuşadası Hoteliers Association, made an evaluation about the new season goals.

Stating that touristic facilities in the Aegean reached nearly 100 percent occupancy last season, especially in the period between 15 June and 15 September, and that they entered this season with similar expectations, Özden stated that the results obtained in early booking campaigns increased their hopes.

Stating that Kuşadası and Didim use the advantage of being close to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport and Milas-Bodrum Airport, Özden said: “There is a significant increase in early booking in the German market. We even expect Turkey to be number one in the German market this year.

“We think that this market will increase even more with last-minute reservations in the coming period. The reservation flow continues in the same way in the British market. Therefore, this year, those two I think the market will be number one.”

Stating that there are serious demands from the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and the Balkan countries and that they expect the domestic market to be active, Özden said he thinks the Ministry’s target of 60 million tourists and 60 billion dollars of income for the season will be achieved.

Stating that the reservation increases for Kuşadası and Didim vary between 5%-15%, depending on the dates, he said: “I think the reason for this is that the price and quality balance is still good in Turkey. It is said that ‘prices have increased in Turkey’. True, the prices have increased, but the competition and inflation has also increased. Therefore, we are good with the price and quality balance we offer and the service we provide for the money we pay.”

Burak Karakaya, the manager of a 5-star hotel in Didim, also stated that early reservations for 2024 are 10 percent better than last year.

Stating that they closed last year with a record, Karakaya said, “We are very pleased for now that it continues in the same line in 2024. There was an increase in British and German guests and a decrease in our Romanian and Bulgarian guests, but the sum of all of them coincided with last year.”