TURKS ANTICIPATE BANNER TOURISM YEAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000622 SIPDIS SENSITVE SIPDIS Treasury for International Affairs - JRose E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN ECON TU SUBJECT: TURKS ANTICIPATE BANNER TOURISM YEAR REF: (A) Ankara 4953 (B) Ankara 4493 (C) Ankara 1105 (D) Ankara 1460 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On the heels of dashed expectations for tourism in 2006, Turkish officials expressed confidence that tourist arrivals for 2007 would surpass the record 21.1 million set in 2005. To attract more tourists from North and South America, the Government of Turkey (GOT) has invested millions in a multi-media campaign touting religious and health tourism. Convinced that Turkey has moved beyond the negative images affecting tourism in 2006, notably the wave of bombings in tourist areas of western Turkey, Turkish officials expect over 600,000 Americans to visit this year. End Summary. -------------- SO FAR, SO GOOD FOR 2007 -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Despite a 6.5% decline in tourist arrivals in 2006, Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MOT) contacts voiced optimism over the prospects for 2007. Predicting a record-setting year, MOT Director General for Marketing Ozgur Ozaslan estimated Turkey would welcome more than 21 million visitors in 2007, besting the 21.1 million who visited in 2005, and easily exceeding the 19.8 million arrivals of 2006. Ozaslan pointed to a combined 16% increase in arrivals for January and February, compared to the preceding year for the same period, as evidence of the upward trend. ¶3. (SBU) At first dismissive of the possibility of a repeat wave of PKK terrorist bombings like the ones that struck the tourist towns of Marmaris and Cesme in 2006, Ozaslan later acknowledged last year's attacks seemed specifically designed to maximize damage to the tourism sector by striking tourist areas during the summer/fall high season, adding that "terrorism can strike anywhere at anytime." According to Ozaslan, the MOT estimates that approximately one million tourists stayed away from Turkey from September to December 2006 due to the bombings. The "Kurdistan Freedom Falcons" (TAK),the name under which the PKK conducts its attacks in western Turkey, has recently issued another warning to foreign tourists to stay away. If so, the increase in tourist arrivals could be jeopardized. -------------- MESSAGE TO AMERICANS: TURKEY WELCOMES YOU -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The MOT recently launched a $5.6 million marketing campaign targeting tourists from North and South America. "Turkey Welcomes You" is the title of the 45-page colorful guide highlighting the country's 2,000 thermal springs, natural alternative medicine centers, historic churches and synagogues, and numerous archeological sites. Although tourists from the Americas represent only five percent of total visitors to Turkey, Ozaslan confirmed they outspend their European counterparts, stay longer in country, and generally opt for culture tourism over cheaper packaged "sun tours" popular with many Europeans. Ozaslan played for us two television commercials produced for American audiences that will air on CNN and network television during high profile regular programming such as "House," "Desperate Housewives," and "Lost," and displayed various print ads set to appear in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and over thirty travel and lifestyle magazines. ¶5. (SBU) Ozaslan noted that before the events of 9/11, more than 515,000 Americans vacationed in Turkey annually. Encouraged by the 22% increase in American tourists who visited in 2006, the MOT expects over 600,000 Americans to visit Turkey this year. The debut of the temporary Turkish village at Disneyworld's Epcott Center in late 2006 proved enormously successful. Unable to provide exact numbers for the 3- month run at Epcott, MOT officials estimated roughly 30,000 thousand people a day passed through the exhibit which featured Turkish foods and products and displayed cultural highlights of Istanbul and Cappadocia. Describing as "cost-prohibitive" the apparent 20 million USD price tag for maintaining a permanent spot ANKARA 00000622 002 OF 002 at Epcott, MOT officials nevertheless look forward to sponsoring a 3-month exhibit again this year. -------------- YEAR OF THE MEVLANA -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In coordination with the three Turkish Culture and Tourism Offices operating in the United States (Washington DC, New York, and Los Angeles),the MOT plans to sponsor a number of cultural events in major US cities in 2007, including Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, to celebrate UNESCO's "Year of the Mevlana," in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the birth of Mevlana Jelaladdin Rumi, the 13th century Turkish philosopher and mystical poet of Islam. MOT officials acknowledged contract negotiations were underway for Dr. Deepak Chopra, a former figure in the Transcendental Meditation Movement, to produce a 90- minute documentary film about Rumi, possible narrators include Hollywood celebrities Demi Moore and Antonio Banderas. -------------- 2023 Tourism Strategy -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Unveiled recently at a Turkish tourism summit in the resort city of Antalya, the MOT's "2023 Tourism Strategy," is a 52-page roadmap to development of niche tourism (religious, health, and golf),infrastructure improvements, and regional "tourism cities." A Tourism Ministry official responsible for city and regional planning saw major potential in the development of golf tourism. He said the island of Majorca has more golf courses than all of Turkey, despite Turkey's natural attributes for golf tourism (long season, tourist infrastructure). He also lamented that Majorca has more yacht marinas than all of Turkey, despite Turkey's long coastline. Turkish tourism officials also hope to develop more religious tourism, capitalizing on the Pope's recent visit and the abundance of important sites for Christianity, Judaism and Islam. ¶8. (SBU) Although the Council of Ministers signed off on the "2023 Tourism Strategy," MOT's Deputy General for Business and Development Savas Bozdu confirmed that there is currently no budget for implementing any of the short-term or long-term strategies identified in the plan. Tourism revenues constitute approximately five percent of GNP, are an important source of new employment, and also help finance Turkey's large trade deficit. Speaking at the summit, however, Prime Minister Erdogan emphasized the importance of viewing tourism in political and cultural terms, not just as a source of revenue for Turkey, noting "tourism brings the people of the world together and contributes to world peace." -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The substantial increase in tourist arrivals at the outset of 2007 is encouraging given the disappointing overall numbers for last year. Although confident 2007 will be a record-setting year for tourism, MOT officials' projections are based on certain assumptions, mainly the absence of any PKK attacks targeting tourist areas and the lack of controversy surrounding Turkey's upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. The GOT's decision to increase by $4 million USD the marketing budget for the Americas demonstrates a genuine commitment to attract more Americans tourists.