We wish you a successful tenure of office. Would you like to start with introducing yourself?

I was born in Istanbul in 1957 and graduated from Ankara University School of Tourism and Hotel Management and then Department of English Language of School of Foreign Languages. In 1975, while continuing my higher education in Germany, I started to work in hotels. I set up my own travel agency in 1985 in Ankara. In 1995, I was appointed as a manager in Detur International of Dedeman Group. I continued to work as a tour operator in Russia (1995), Finland (1998), Norway (1999), Sweden (2000), and Denmark (2012). Detur International acted as a solution partner in international organisations like European Basketball Championship, World Basketball Championship, World Golf Championship, and Final Four. I worked as the vice president of TURSAB between 2011 and 2014. In February 2018, I was elected as TURSAB President in ordinary general assembly meeting. I am married with three children.

Can you give us some information about the recent projects and plans of TURSAB?

One issue we give priority to is to update “The Law (No. 1618) Concerning Travel Agencies and the Association of Travel Agencies” in accordance with the necessities and conditions of our era. We have taken several steps to solve problems of our members. We have already developed an understanding to make setting up new agencies more difficult. We will pave the way for a documentation era thanks to new legislations. We have begun to ease our members’ workload arranging hajj and umrah organisations. We have taken our first steps with Tourism Advisory council to merge the sector. We will also try to create a promotion strategy planned by public-and private sector mutually in which private sector is more active.

TURSAB Academy is one of your activities. Can you give some information about the academy? Who can join this academy?

One of the basic missions of TURSAB is to make tourism a more quality service area, and for this, we plan to share our knowledge with our member agencies in this academy. TURSAB Academy provides members with “Professional Trainings for Tourism Professionals” and we organise trainings for all agencies volunteer to add value to tourism. We strive to make tourism more professional and to create a positive change for the agencies in TURSAB Academy where adaptation trainings are also given. These trainings are not only given to tourism employees, but to everyone, and we have already carried out many training programs.

How do you see the future of travel agencies in Turkey? What problems should agencies solve? Can you give us an overall view?

There is a global fierce competition in tourism industry. New tendencies come up every year; demographical structure of the world changes; and new technological applications appear. Traditional promotion and marketing era has come to an end. Now, we have to plan the year 2050 rather than today and tomorrow. We must follow developments in big data, internet of things and artificial intelligence and adapt to these within a mutual structure. We must know the new generation and also create holiday facilities for the aging population.

We will work towards gaining our members the knowledge and equipment they need to compete in this world. We will support our members in terms of technology, research and development, trainings, and promotion and marketing. As well as giving support to advertising and marketing activities of our agencies in international fairs, we will try to help develop domestic tourism. In order to develop a sustainable tourism understanding, we will support our agencies with trainings in fields requiring expertise.

These days figures in the tourism industry are positive. There is increase in the number of tourists and room prices. In your opinion, how should this be maintained and developed?

Tourism in Turkey started to show an upward trend as of 2017. According to the data provided by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism the number of foreign tourists increased 27,74%, reaching 32,410, 34. Total tourism revenue in 2017 increased 18,9 compared to the previous year and reached 26,283,656 U. S Dollars. In the first quarter of 2018 the number of foreign visitors was 7, 783,000, which was the highest figure of all times. This means a 32,5 % increase compared to the first quarter of 2017, and a 12% increase compared to 2015, the year when a record number of tourists visited Turkey. Also, there is a 42,6 % increase in the number of people visiting Istanbul in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the previous year. The number of foreign visitors to Istanbul reached almost 3,9 million in the period between January and April. Besides, the number of foreign visitors to Antalya reached almost 1,2 million increasing 37,1 % compared to the previous year.

Considering the high demand from all markets, we predict 90% fullness in hotels in average in the Mediterranean considering. I think we may reach 80% fullness in the Aegean region. We also expect that hotels in Istanbul might reach 70% fullness. Majority of tourists come to Turkey in summer months, which unfortunately makes tourism a seasonal activity. We should develop alternative tourism types maintaining year-round tourism activities. Should we maintain these year-round tourism trends, we will achieve meaningful and lasting success. In this sense, we will take steps towards concentrating on areas such as alternative tourism types, culture tourism, congress tourism, incentive tours, shopping tourism, sports tourism, health tourism, faith tourism, gastronomy, and cruise tourism.

What stand out in tourism and hotel trends globally?  How can Turkey adapt to these fast-changing trends?

The fact that people's income and intellectual levels increase and technology improves at an unprecedented pace brings about significant changes and transformation in daily lives as well as tourism. Tourism professionals in Turkey can keep up with these changes and technology. They follow changes and new trends in the world closely. However, in order to adapt to these developments, it is important to provide them with trainings and studies to help them improve themselves. As TURSAB we continue to help our members adapt to the necessities and conditions of the era since tourism industry will accelerate once Turkey makes use of its advantages following the new trends.

Finally, what are your favourite national and international destinations for holiday?

Turkey is a perfect holiday destination. I usually spend my holidays in Turkey and I quite enjoy it. I prefer Aegean coast and Antalya as a destination I bring tourists to. I also like to travel in Anatolia. Cappadocia and Pamukkale are great destinations for me. Sometimes, I travel to Europe and America via culture tours. I already travel abroad a lot for business purposes.