Sunday, September 8, 2024 Antalya tourism sector has faced a challenging year, but despite the obstacles, the Mediterranean region is poised for a strong finish in 2024 . Kaan Kavaloğlu, president of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers’ and Investors’ Association (AKTOB), outlined the difficulties encountered this season, including the bankruptcy of FTI, Europe’s third-largest tour operator with a focus on Türkiye, and major events like Euro 2024 and the Paris Olympics drawing attention away from traditional summer vacations. Although these disruptions made the season difficult for Antalya’s hoteliers, the city still recorded an 8% increase in tourist arrivals from January to July 2024.
Kavaloğlu highlighted that the average length of stay decreased by one day, impacting hotel occupancy, but the region remained resilient. As of the first week of September, 12 million foreign tourists had visited Antalya, a strong indicator of the city’s ongoing popularity despite the setbacks. Looking ahead, Kavaloğlu is optimistic about a strong performance in October, traditionally a good month for European travel.
“We expect October to be one of the best in recent years, even surpassing 2019 when Antalya saw record foreign visitor numbers,” he stated. He anticipates that around 76,000 foreign tourists will visit Antalya during the month, with major markets like Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands contributing to the influx as their holiday periods align with this timeframe. Moreover, favorable weather conditions could extend the tourism season into late November, allowing local businesses to capitalize on a prolonged influx of visitors.
A series of events in Antalya is helping to diversify the tourism offerings and attract different types of travelers. Scheduled events such as the selections for the Aviation, Space and Technology Festival, the Food Fest gastronomy festival, and the Culture Road Festival are all part of Antalya’s strategy to broaden its appeal beyond traditional beach vacations. Kavaloğlu emphasized the importance of such events in attracting tourists and boosting the local economy.
“These festivals play a key role in enhancing the tourist experience and promoting Antalya as a vibrant, culturally rich destination,” he noted. Kavaloğlu is confident that Antalya will close out 2024 with impressive numbers, predicting that the city will host around 16.6 million foreign tourists by the end of the year, with the potential to reach 17 million when including transit passengers.
The growth is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the region, reinforcing Antalya’s reputation as one of Türkiye’s premier tourism hubs. Despite the challenges faced this season, Antalya has demonstrated its resilience, and with a strong finish expected, the city’s tourism sector looks set for continued success in the coming years..
