TRNC Touristic Destination Promotion Project Unveiled in Press Conference

This initiative aims to promote the touristic potential of Northern Cyprus and create opportunities for collaboration. The project will span from October to December.

The project is a joint effort between the Deputy Prime Ministry, Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment, Turkish Airlines (THY), and associations such as KITSAB, KITOB, KITREB, and RESBİR to showcase KKTC as a year-round tourist destination with diverse alternative tourism options ready to compete on the global travel market.

As part of the project, Turkish Airlines will collaborate on flights, KITSAB on domestic transportation, KITOB on hotels, KITREB on tour guide services, and RESBİR on lunch arrangements, while the Ministry will provide meeting facilities and local delicacies.

During the press conference held at Arkın Colony Hotel, attendees included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, Undersecretary of the Deputy Prime Ministry, Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment Serhan Aktunç, Director of Tourism Planning Division Mazlum Kortaş, Director of Tourism Promotion and Marketing Department Mine Eminoğlu, THY Vice President for Middle East and Cyprus Erol Şenol, THY Cyprus Manager Pınar Ayvaz Arıkan, President of KITSAB Orhan Tolun, President of KITOB Dimağ Çağıner, President of KITREB Dener Öğmen, and President of RES-Bir Arif Bayraktar.

Ataoğlu, the Deputy Prime Minister, highlighted the importance of the TRNC Touristic Destination Promotion Project, emphasizing that the collaborative effort to promote the country is an exemplary initiative.

He announced that travel agents with the potential for outgoing sales from 10 different countries spanning 2 continents will be hosted in Northern Cyprus from October to December, with representatives visiting every week from Monday to Thursday.

Ataoğlu underlined their aim to inform visiting tour operators about the diverse tourism options available in TRNC, such as faith tourism, and emphasized the country's historical and cultural richness. He stressed the need to utilize the high exchange rates positively for the tourism sector.

He also spoke about the importance of showcasing TRNC's suitability for health tourism due to its favorable climate and highlighted that the new airport will enable them to provide more modern services.

Ataoğlu emphasized the importance of being a safe island and mentioned that THY's collaboration will allow guests to experience Northern Cyprus firsthand.

He thanked everyone who contributed to the project.

Erol Şenol, THY's Vice President for Middle East and Cyprus, also highlighted the significance of Northern Cyprus and noted that the opening of the new airport in Northern Cyprus will further boost the momentum, as it did in Istanbul.

Şenol stated that with the opening of the new airport, they will be able to increase the number of flights and emphasized the importance of stakeholder cooperation after infrastructure investments.

He reminded that THY, as the airline with the most destinations worldwide, aims to make its presence in Northern Cyprus felt by enhancing flight connections.

Şenol mentioned that they have been working hard to create cultural projects for Northern Cyprus and have brought seven major travel agencies to the country, actively directing them towards potential markets such as the UK, Russia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Czech Republic.

Dimağ Çağıner, President of KITOB, underscored the importance of participating in such an organization, acknowledging that despite a certain level of intensity, the tourism sector is not doing well in Northern Cyprus.

He emphasized the need for more tourists and better transportation connections, hoping that transportation challenges after the pandemic would be resolved by 2024.

Çağıner highlighted the importance of improving transportation to sustain tourism in Northern Cyprus and adapt to new tourism models.

Orhan Tolun, President of KITSAB, also stressed the importance of the project and expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed.

He noted that nearly all hotels without casinos have closed due to the lack of tourists, with almost half of the tourists not arriving compared to the pre-pandemic period.

Tolun described the challenges they face, including embargoes, budget constraints, and high flight costs, and highlighted the importance of overcoming these difficulties to extend the tourism season to 12 months.

He emphasized the significance of alternative tourism models alongside casino tourism and expressed hope that 2024 and beyond would be a turning point for tourism in Northern Cyprus.

Source: TAK