Some indian buyers, who recently visited Türkiye to gain a deeper understanding of its diverse cultural experiences, luxurious accommodations, and warm hospitality, express renewed excitement to sell the destination. TRAVTALK speaks to a few key Indian buyers and Turkish sellers to find out if they think India is a good fit for the destination and vice versa.
Hazel Jain
Adl Karim, Director, FlyCreative Online & Executive Committee Member, OTOAI
Türkiye, as a destination, has been growing in India year-on-year because of its diverse offerings and culture. It understands tourism and tourists and also because of easy accessibility and connectivity. Türkiye is a country with rich, ancient history. It has a lot of places with historical importance, be it religious or culture.
Refail Ekberov, Managing Director, Sab Tour DMC
We mainly sell hotels in Antalya, Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Kuşadası. At the same time, we are doing the round complete Türkiye every year. Compared to last year, we have received more clients from India. We get a lot of leisure and MICE groups. Usually guests from India visit in the spring and in autumn, which is March-June.
Riaz Munshi, National President, OTOAI & Managing Director, N Chirag Travels
Türkiye has its advantages – easy visas, direct flights and not too far from India. During the summer, people face issues with getting visas of various countries. When they choose to come to Türkiye, they get visas easily. Within Türkiye also, there are many destinations to explore like Izmir, an unexplored town.
Duygu Kuskulu, Managing Partner, Tay Istanbul DMC
We have been working with the India market for over 20 years now. So, I have had the great opportunity to observe how it has grown for us. We are doing a lot of FIT and leisure groups, as well as destination weddings. I feel that the India market works in a circle. When FITs visit, they do a destination wedding for their child.
Param Mehta, Chief Operating Officer, Trans Globe Travels
We send a good number of clients to Türkiye, primarily for leisure. We have also seen a growing number of couples choosing it for their honeymoons. Additionally, many of our corporate clients travel to Türkiye, especially Istanbul, to attend exhibitions and trade shows. Türkiye also has good potential for dealer incentive trips.
Rıza Elibol, General Manager, Swissôtel Büyük Efes, Izmir
The Indian market is a dynamic and expanding market, showing considerable growth potential in key Turkish cities. This trend is also evident in İzmir, where Swissôtel Büyük Efes, is eager to welcome more Indian guests. We cater to a diverse clientele, including families, corporates, FITs, and MICE groups.