Sığacık Samos Cruise Ship Sailings Start on April 6
TTI Izmir International Tourism Trade Fair and Congress, TTI Outdoor 3rd Camping, Caravan, Boat, Outdoor and Equipment Fair and TTI Health 1st Health Tourism Fair, organized for the first time this year, brought together guests from all over the world in Izmir. Stating that they have made important efforts to develop tourism in Izmir and that they have reaped the fruits of this, Mayor Soyer gave the good news that they will start Sığacık – Samos cruises together with İDO on April 6.
The 17th TTI Izmir International Tourism Trade Fair and Congress, organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Commerce, hosted by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, with the support of TÜRSAB, and in partnership with İZFAŞ and TÜRSAB Fuarcılık, started in Fuar İzmir. The fair, which will last until December 9, will host tourism professionals and visitors from all over the world. TTI Outdoor Camping, Caravan, Boat, Outdoor and Equipment Fair, which was held three years ago with the aim of responding to all the needs of nature lovers, with the experience of TTI Izmir, and TTI Health 1st, which brought together the leading participants of health tourism in TTI Izmir in previous years. The Health Tourism Fair was also opened.
Sığacık – Samos good news from Soyer
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç SoyerEmphasizing the importance of Izmir’s 8-year history, he reminded that they promised to tell the world about the unique richness of the city four years ago. Mayor Soyer noted that tourism is the most important sector in increasing the prosperity of the city and said, “We were the first city to establish the digital tourism infrastructure after the pandemic. We brought together more than 500 destinations of Izmir in the Visit Izmir mobile application. You can call it Turkey’s first digital tourism encyclopedia. Another priority was direct flights to Izmir. In this regard, we started the Direct Izmir program with the airline companies that organize flights to Izmir. There are now direct flights from Izmir to cities that lead world tourism such as Venice, Barcelona and Milan. In line with our goal of bringing Izmir tourism to the point it deserves, we started to host cruise ships, which have not visited Izmir for six years, at Izmir Port again. A total of 2 thousand tourists have visited Izmir with 500 cruise voyages since 2022. In order to further strengthen Izmir’s port city identity, our İZDENİZ company started Izmir-Lesbos flights. We will triple our flights in 49. “On April 69, we will start Sığacık – Samos cruises together with İDO,” he said.
Seferihisar – Samos flights were operated irregularly by private individuals and companies before the pandemic period. Corporate and planned flights will be operated by İZDENİZ A.Ş., affiliated with Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, as of April 2024. and Istanbul Sea Buses (IDO).
“Izmir tourism is moving towards a new record”
Stating that they have reaped the fruits of their work, Soyer said, “We started to receive the results of all these works and many other actions in 2022. In 2022, we broke the all-time record in tourism and hosted 2 million 153 thousand tourists. According to the data of the first 2023 months in Izmir tourism, which started 5 quickly, we reached a 15 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
As we approach the end of 2023, Izmir tourism is heading towards a new record. Very recently, the world’s most famous travel guide, Lonely Planet, included Izmir among the top ten cities to travel to in 2024. None of our successes are a coincidence. “They are the fruits of our Izmir Tourism Promotion Strategy and Action Plan, which we developed in partnership with the Izmir Foundation and Izmir Development Agency,” he said.
“Tourism is one of the most powerful tools of peace”
Stating that the pandemic has affected travel habits and the health sector around the world, Mayor Soyer said, “We are going through a period where harmony with nature, localization and digitalization come to the fore, especially in these two sectors. Our city Izmir and our country have a great potential to lead the world at this juncture. If we want to use this potential, we have to spread a new tourism that feeds on the local power and abundance throughout the capillaries of our country.
We must change the concept of all-inclusive tourism, which is confined to the triangle of sea, sand and sun and does not increase the welfare of the city. We have to be the pioneer of this change in Izmir. In my opinion, tourism is one of the most powerful tools of peace in this environment where the world is dragged into chaos and wars. We have to support tourism more not only for trade reasons but also for peace. And not just local authorities.
All countries need to support it. “I believe with all my heart that our TTI Izmir, TTI Outdoor and TTI Health fairs are very important milestones on this path,” he said.
Ataoğlu: “Ties will increase even more with the expeditions”
Explaining their work in the field of tourism, Deputy Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Minister of Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu said, “I would like to underline how important the natural, cultural and historical tourism potential of the TRNC is. Izmir flights are very important. Sunexpress’s flights are a good news that the ties of all our brothers in Izmir with the TRNC will increase even more. “I hope our fair will be productive,” he said.
Paredes: “The fair brings together the world’s main industry players”
Venezuelan Minister of Tourism Ali Ernesto Padron Paredes said, “The fair provides economic and social benefits to our people and affects the economies of our countries. The fair brings together the world’s main industry players. “It allows buyers, distributors and all international trade actors to interact with each other,” he said.
Baglikaya: “Tourism leads the way”
Firuz Baglikaya, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, said, “Following the 100th anniversary of the Republic, which we celebrate with great enthusiasm, as a country, we need to take steps that will carry this beautiful country, which was gifted to us by Ataturk, the founder of our Republic, and his friends, who accomplished great things in a short time, to the next centuries and millennia.” We are going through a period. Tourism has a great responsibility in this regard. “Tourism is one of the sectors in which Turkey has the highest competitiveness in the world,” he said.
The industry is happy with the meeting of the world
Norbert Fiebig, President of the Association of German Travel Agencies, drew attention to the tourism relations between Germany and Turkey and wished for a successful fair. Emre Kızılgüneşler, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Izmir Chamber of Commerce, stated that they were happy to host participants from all over the world at the fair and underlined the importance of health tourism. Metin Akdaş, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aegean Region Chamber of Industry, emphasized that the fair makes Izmir proud. IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Izmir Branch President Yusuf Öztürk said that the fair highlighted Turkey’s Izmir in world tourism.
Who participated?
Opening ceremony of TTI Izmir, TTI Outdoor and TTI Health fairs; Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyer hosted by TRNC Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, Venezuelan Minister of Tourism Alí Ernesto Padrón Paredes, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies Firuz Bağlıkaya, President of the Association of German Travel Agencies Norbert Fiebig, İYİ Party İzmir National Representative Ümit Özlale, İzmir Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. It was held with the participation of Board Vice Chairman Emre Kızılgüneşler, Aegean Region Chamber of Industry Deputy Chairman Metin Akdaş and İMEAK Chamber of Shipping İzmir Yusuf Öztürk, council members, presidents and representatives of NGOs, chambers and associations, foreign participants and sector professionals.
Everything about tourism is at the fair
At the TTI Izmir Fair, held in halls A and B, many institutions and participants from the sector such as ministries, governorships, municipalities, chambers of commerce and industry, travel agencies, tour operators, tourism offices, hotels and accommodation facilities, airlines, tourism transportation, travel technologies and software. It is located.
In addition, professional visitors in the special area created; They will have the opportunity to meet face to face with hotels, agencies and all kinds of participating companies operating in the tourism sector and make commercial business agreements. The fair, which will host professional visitors in the first two days, will also be open to the public on the last day.
TTI Izmir, which stands out with its different events, will shed light on Turkish and world tourism with colorful shows and exhibitions, as well as interviews with experts in their fields. In TTI Izmir, which brings together cultural heritage under the roof of the fair; Brand cities from all over Turkey with their sea, sand, sun, history, cultural structures, ancient cities and natural beauties will also take place.
TTI Health 1st Health Tourism Fair brings together health and tourism
The leading participants of health tourism, who took part in TTI Izmir in previous years, meet the visitors at the TTI Health 1st Health Tourism Fair, which was held simultaneously with TTI Izmir for the first time this year. This year, the fair aims to meet the need of millions of people to travel for health services by combining health and tourism with the unique natural beauties of Izmir. International tourism actors and healthcare industry professionals will come together at Fuar Izmir to share the latest developments and innovations in the sector and find opportunities for collaboration. The fair will focus on the international demand for health services by hosting the participants who shape the rising trends and future of health tourism. The fair will make Izmir an international platform to showcase its potential in the field of health tourism and respond to the search for health services of world-wide travelers. The participant profile of the fair consists of companies such as hospitals, clinics, health tourism agencies, aesthetic centers, hospital materials and technologies suppliers, thermal tourism, SPA wellness, geriatric tourism and medical companies.
TTI Outdoor Izmir brings nature lovers together
Born from the alternative tourism section of TTI Izmir Fair, TTI Outdoor Camping, Caravan, Boat, Outdoor and Equipment Fair opened its doors for the third time this year. TTI Outdoor Izmir is held open to the public between 7-10 December 2023. During the fair, many activities and events will be organized for nature lovers. The fair will create a center of attraction for those who want a lifestyle in harmony with nature and want to be in touch with nature. Caravans, mobile homes, special purpose vehicles, travel trailers, caravan sub-industry and accessories, camping equipment and equipment, caravan rental agencies, associations and clubs, nature and adventure sports equipment, bicycles, 4X4 / Off-Road vehicles and equipment, water sports TTI Outdoor Izmir, which will include product groups such as equipment, will meet all the needs of nature lovers.
Procurement delegation programs will also be organized within the scope of TTI Izmir and TTI Health fairs. While 61 tourism professionals from 150 countries will participate in the TTI Izmir recruitment committee program, 1 health tourism industry professionals from 24 countries, including countries such as England, Switzerland and Russia, will participate in the recruitment committee program to be held at the TTI Health 75st Health Tourism Fair. These purchasing delegations will also hold B2B meetings within the scope of the fair.
Source: Raily News
