New Focus Travel Magazine

NEW

TRAVEL MAGAZINE

FOCUS No: 111 January / February’2010

Gaziantep, a Cıty Full of Food Delıghts ATB-Damascus WTM-London NATTA-Kathmandu

Dünya’nın Çatısı Mistik Nepal Komşunun Şirin Şehri Kavala Denizaşırı Uçuşlarda Etıhad Busıness Class

Focus on TURKEY NEWS TH 20 Year th year 18th NO:111 Jan./Feb.’2010 no: 101 May/June’08

From the Editor

Have you not seen Istanbul yet?

News from Europe report that this year holiday makers give more importance to save money and delay their holiday travels to a future date or choose more affordable holidays.

It seems that this situation will continue in 2010.

According to some pessimistic tourism experts, 2010 will be an even more challenging year due to the increased unemployment and economical problems.

Consequently quality, branding, new products, new destinations will be of the utmost importance in tourism.

Tourism professionals working in sales & marketing , products/ services will have the advantage next year of having participated in all well known tourism activities but also in new exhibitions and workshops at new destinations.

42 Komşunun Şirin Şehri Kavala

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New Focus’da Ege’nin karşı kıyısını sık sık yazıyoruz. Daha önce birkaç kez Yunan Adalarını ve iki kez de Alexandreapolis’i yani Dedeağaç’ı yazmıştık.. Bu kez Dedeağaç in biraz altında yer alan Kavala’yı sizlere tanıtacağız.

Suat Tore

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20 Gaziantep, a City Full of Food Delights

Gaziantep is located at the point where Mediterranean and Southeast Anatolian regions meet and it is neighbour to Syria.

More then the half of the lands of the region are convenient for farming and they are covered with olive, pistachio nuts trees, fruit and vegetable gardens, grape gardens, cotton and wheat arable fields.

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16 3 rd NATTA Himalayan Intl. Travel Mart

CONTENTS

Focus on Turkey Focus on Exhibition Focus on World Focus on Destination (Gaziantep) Focus on Travel Agent & Tour Operators Focus on Hotels Focus on Airlines Focus on Airline Test Focus on Destinasyon (Nepal) Focus on Destinasyon (Kavala) Bülten K›sa... K›sa...

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38 Dünya’nın Çatısı Mistik Nepal Nepal ilginç bir ülke.Yaklaşık 2.000 m yükseklikte ama tertemiz bir hava ve 28 c ısı. Kasım ayı sonunda gömlekle terliyorsunuz. Çok konuksever insanlar ama çok fakirler. Bir profesör maaşı 130 USD. Aylik100 USD çok iyi para. Yine yaklaşık 150 bin m2 lik bir yüzölçümü ve 25 milyon nüfus. Başkent Kathmandu 2.5 milyon ile en kalabalık şehir. Ülkede Incentive turizm şaşılacak derece ileride.

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Focus On TURKEY NEWS

Turkey Tops the List of 2010 Holiday Destinations The first shots of a package holiday price war have been fired with tour companies offering a host of discounts as they attempt to capitalise on a recovering market.Bookings for the top 20 summer 2010 destinations have increased sharply over the past three months, according to the Cooperative Travel company. The Turkish resort of Dalaman has seen an 82 per cent increase in bookings and has taken over from Majorca as the number one holiday destination for UK travellers in 2010. Majorca is in second place, with Orlando in Florida third, the Spanish Costa Blanca fourth and the Greek island of Crete fifth. Other destinations high on the booking list include Bodrum in Turkey, Ibiza and Larnaca in Cyprus. Trevor Davis, director of retail distribution at Co-operative Travel, said: “As the holiday sector recovers, the battle for bookers will intensify, with companies seeking to increase their market share after a challenging 12 months.”Meanwhile, holiday company Thomas Cook launched a new advertising campaign today.

It coincides with a survey by the company that revealed that people put foreign holidays higher in their “must have” list than eating out, home improvements, buying new clothes or UK breaks. Thomas Cook predicted Turkey would be the in-place to visit in 2010, with Egypt, Majorca, Tenerife and Cyprus all expected to do well too. Travel agency Going Places said it was launching an early-booking offer for Airtours’ holidays tomorrow. There will be savings of up to £200 per booking for those booking before 4 February, 2010.

Direct Holidays is offering £100 off prices and child-goes-free deals for those booking before 31 January, 2010, on selected holidays. The company is also offering an additional £50 off winter 2010-11 breaks for early bookers. Latest figures from Shearings Holidays reveal that bookings for next year’s UK breaks have increased by more than 95 per cent in some regions, with locations that have been showcased in the latest barrage of British holiday TV shows proving to be among the biggest winners. Caroline Brown, commercial director for Shearings, said: “Programmes such as John Sergeant On The Tourist Trail, Martin Clunes’ Islands Of Britain and Alexander Armstrong’s Very British Holiday have reignited people’s love of Britain.

“Screen locations are always popular with tourists and the trend for UK holiday programmes has encouraged people to have a closer look at holiday destinations in the UK.” Meanwhile, another study found that more than half of those who spent their holiday at home in the UK this year are planning on making up for it by flying abroad in 2010. Fifty-six per cent said they plan on escaping British shores to head for sun, sea and warmer climates next year. Spain, US and France emerged as their desired travel hotspots. Nick Trend of travel website www. simonseeks.com said: “It reveals a real determination to travel, especially among those who didn’t take a holiday overseas in 2009, but it also made clear that keeping a tight grip on budget was a clear priority for many people.” n

Tourist Arrivals to Turkey on Rise Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry revealed the tourism statistics for November 2009. The number of foreign tourists visiting Turkey in November 2009 increased by 10.7 percent when compared to the same month of 2008. On the other hand, the number of foreign tourists visiting the country rose by 2.4 percent to 25,850,971 between January and November 2009. Germans were ranked the first among tourists visiting Turkey for holiday with 4,292,140 and Russians were ranked the second. Brits are the third most visiting nationality visiting Turkish cities. The number of tourists visiting Turkey in November 2009 became 1,403,740, according to the ministry statistics. n

“Japan Year 2010 in Turkey” Launched The official opening ceremony of “Japan Year 2010 in Turkey” was held at the Turkish-Japanese Foundation in the Turkish capital of Ankara. Delivering a speech in the ceremony, Turkish Culture & Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay said activities which would be held within the scope of the “Japan Year in Turkey” would contribute to improvement of relations between Turkey and Japan. Gunay said they were glad about Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada’s participation in the opening ceremony, and they hoped that Japanese people would attend activities that would be held in Turkey in 2010. Okada said Turkish-Japanese relations would boost not only in the area of culture but also in other areas. n

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Culture and Tourism Ministry Allocates US$45 million for Advertisement in 2010 Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister organized a press conference at Swissotel Bosphorus in Istanbul to announce the results of 2010 advertising campaign tender.

Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Günay, Promotion Director Cumhur Güven Tasbasi, Istanbul Culture and Tourism Director Prof. Dr. Ahmet Emre Bilgili, presidents of industry associations such as TUROFED, TURSAB, TUREB, AKTOB, TUROB, and media attended the conference.

Mr. Günay said that Turkey is allocating around US$100 million dollars of budget for promotion of the country in 2010; same amount as last year.

US$45 million of this total budget will be used by advertisement agencies. Turkey will be promoted with advertisements of 5 companies in the world; dDF from Turkey, M&S Saatchi from UK, Iconisus from USA, Mediumrare/Inbar from Dubai and Tel Aviv, and B Tops from China. Turkish top model; Tulin Sahin will continue to be the face of Turkey at advertisement campaigns throughout Europe. n

İstanbul Celebrated “European Capital of Culture” Istanbul became the “European Capital of Culture 2010” celebrated with a series of activities held on January 16. The activities started with an official ceremony which Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and ministers from 20 countries attended to the Halic Congress Center. Shows and concerts of Turkish singers took place, while culture & arts centers and museums in Istanbul, particularly Sakip Sabanci Museum, Asiyan Museum, Sadberk Hanim Museum and Yerebatan Cistern Museum, were open to visitors till midnight. Turkey’s leading pop star Tarkan performed a concert at a stage set at Taksim Square. At Kadikoy Square; in front of the Kadiköy pier, a balloon show started with a rock concert by the Turkish Rock group, “Mor ve Otesi”. At Sultanahmet, the “Mehter Takimi” or Janissary Band Show performed and followed by wonderful music concert by Mercan Dede. Commenting on Istanbul’s becoming the “European Capital of Culture”, Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas said that getting such a title would be a milestone for the city. Topbas said that numerous activities would be held in Istanbul in 2010 and nearly 10 million tourists were expected to visit the city throughout the year. n

Istanbul Continues to Break Records Despite all negative movement in economy and travel in 2009, city of Istanbul surpassed number of tourist arrival compare to previous years. According to the information received from Istanbul Culture and Tourism Directorate, 7,509,741 tourists visited Istanbul, an increase of 6,5 percent year on year.

The first five top countries sending tourists to the city are; 1- Germany (14.8% - 1.112.590), 2- U.K. (5.7% - 427.575), 3- France (5.1% - 384.504), 4- USA (4.9% - 367.127), 5- Italy (4.8% - 363.738).

Number of Russian tourists to Istanbul decreased in 2009. In previous years, number of Russian tourists visiting the city ranked at second place after Germans. However, with 363,563 arrivals, Russia ranked at 6th place in top countries list. n NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

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Istanbul and Cesme are Destinations to visit in 2010 by New York Times Leading American daily newspaper, The New York Times announced “The 31 Places to Go in 2010”. Two Turkish destinations; Istanbul and Çeşme are in the list. New York Times says, Istanbul The reputation of Istanbul’s contemporary art scene has been steadily growing in recent years, with the Web site ArtKnowledgeNews. com recently calling it “one of the most innovative in the world.”

That reputation is bound to be burnished even more this year, now that Istanbul has been named the 2010 European Capital of Culture (a designation it shares with Essen, Germany, and Pecs, Hungary). There will be a series of events, gallery shows and stage performances throughout the city to mark the occasion.

(A complete list of events can be found at en.istanbul2010.org/ index.htm.) But one of the best ways to get a crash course in what Istanbul’s leading artists are up to right now is to spend some time wandering around the Misir Apartments (311/4 Istiklal Cadessi), right on the busy pedestrian thoroughfare that cuts through the trendy Beygolu neighborhood. Inside this elegant, early-20th-century building are some of the city’s most cutting-edge art venues, like Galerist (http://www.galerist.com.tr/) and Gallerie Nev (http://www. galerinevistanbul.com/) Afterward, head to the rooftop terrace and have a drink at 360 Istanbul, a stylish bar and restaurant that offers stunning views of the city’s skyline (360istanbul.com). - Stuart Emmrich Çeşme The next Bodrum? While revelers continue to descend upon that seaside retreat, another corner of Turkey’s Aegean coastline has begun to emerge as a stylish alternative: the once-sleepy villages of the Cesme Peninsula.

The main draw is Alacati, a sheltered beach town that last summer was the site of the Professional Windsurfers Association Slalom World Cup. Scheduled to open in the spring, the seven-room Hotel Nars Alacati (http://www.nars.com.tr/), set in a converted 19th-century mansion, promises to become the popular weekend gathering spot for Istanbul’s smart set, along with the adjoining garden restaurant, Mesa Luna. - Andrew Ferren. n

Belek on the Turkish Riviera has the Best Reputation With an average of 80.31 out of 100 points in the trivago hotel evaluation scale, the popular holiday resort Belek on the Turkish Riviera has the best online reputation. Belek is closely followed by health resort Binz in Germany with 80.11 points and the small Italian town Sorrento with 79.86 points. Hotels in the Portuguese town of Funchal on the Atlantic Island Madiera are also favoured by travellers; hotels in the port town have an average of 79.31 points and are fourth in the overall European Reputation Ranking. The Croatian city of Dubrovnik is in fifth place with an average overall rating of 78.77 points. n

Hotel Guests in Belek are the Most Satisfied

The online hotel price comparison site trivago has compared the hotel ratings of the most popular European beach destinations. Following the European City Reputation Ranking, the online price comparison site trivago has analysed the most popular beach destinations for the first time. In the ranking the 50 most popular European beach destinations in 2009 were investigated. The analysis took into consideration over 380,000 hotel reviews for more than 4,000 hotels. Spain is the most popular European holiday destination with 15 cities in the Ranking, Italy has eleven cities, and France and Turkey both have five beach destinations. In the United Kingdom, Blackpool is the only town to make the top 50 with an average rating of 75.76 and is currently ranked 20, ahead of many popular Southern European hotspots. n

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Israeli Travel to Turkey Dropped 44% in 2009 Forty-four percent fewer Israelis traveled to Turkey in 2009 than in 2008, according to the Israel-Turkey Business Council. “Diplomatic or political fallouts like the one that took place last week are a main reason for the falling numbers of Israeli visits to Turkey. In 2008, a record number of 560,000 Israelis visited Turkey. In 2009, the number dropped to a little over 300,000,” Danny Zimet, deputy chairman of the council, said. “The statements made, particularly by those on the Turkish side, have a clear influence on tourism numbers. “People listen, and the proof is in the numbers,” Zimet told The Jerusalem Post. “Last year, the drop came after statements were made by Turkish officials in reaction to Operation Cast Lead. We still don’t know how the recent events will affect 2010 travel plans, but we don’t really expect a rise to 2008 levels. The best case scenario is that the numbers remain stable,” he said. The decisive factor in the 2009 statistics was the decisions of the major labor unions to ban Turkey as a destination for organized vacations, Zimet said. “All the big unions, the banks, the utility companies, everyone decided to ban Turkey last year. Later this month they meet to decide where they’ll go this year. If because of the diplomatic fallout they decide to ban Turkey again, the numbers will likely continue to drop.” When asked about the number of Turkish visitors to Israel, Zimet said it was embarrassingly low. “We can’t know for sure how many people come over from Turkey, because they are not counted separately. The Tourism Ministry generally knows the exact number of tourist according to country of origin, but because of the small numbers, Turkey is designated as “other” and not counted separately. An educated guess would be somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000,” he said. Zimet said that despite the fact that Israel had a lot to offer Turkish tourists, especially in terms of holy sites, there were barriers to their arrival. “One reason is that the Tourism Ministry does nothing to market Israel to the Turkish audience,” he said. “That’s the root of the problem, but the biggest impediment is the visa requirement. Unlike Israelis, who don’t require a visa to travel to Turkey, Turkish nationals still have to go through the bureaucratic hassle of getting a visa.” Politics aside, Israelis love Turkey, said Eyal Kashdan, CEO of Flying Carpet, the largest provider of flights and tour packages to Turkey. “It has everything most Israelis want in a travel destination and the resorts there offer the best packages as far as Israelis are concerned,” said Kashdan. “I’m talking about everything, from the travel time it takes to get there, to the price, to the activities, down to the food at the buffet. “Israelis love it that they can go for a week, knowing that their children will be entertained, that they will have plenty to eat and drink, that they can go shopping in the markets, that the weather will be similar to what they have here and that the price will be affordable.” Kashdan was cautious in putting all the blame for the drop in tourism on the political situation. “You have to remember that we are in the midst of a global economic crisis and fewer people are going away in general, not just to Turkey,” he said. Kashdan said his company was investing heavily in locating alternative travel destinations for those who are disturbed by the political situation, and identified Bulgaria, Cyprus and the Greek islands as a suitable fit. “The bottom line, though, is that for years people in the tourism industry have been looking for ‘the new Turkey,’ but so far no one has succeeded,” he said. n

The Greek Orthodox Churches in Istanbul before the Tanzimat Period The Consulate General of Greece in Istanbul is proud to present a new photographic exhibition at the Sismanoglio Megaro (İstiklal cad. No 60), from 19 January until 21 February (opening hours: Mon-Fri: 4 pm-8 pm and Sat-Sun: Noon-8 pm). This exhibition highlights the cultural wealth of Istanbul and, in particular, its Greek Orthodox heritage with which it aims at familiarising the Turkish public and all those interested in the history of the city. It presents the fifty-three (53) Greek Orthodox churches that functioned in the Ottoman capital in the centuries before the Tanzimat reform period (mid-19th c.) and the ensuing rise in the construction of churches that reflected new styles and techniques. Scattered all over the Old City, Pera and the shores of the Bosphorus and, often, cowed behind walls due to the sprawl of urban development, these churches form a standing link between Byzantium and present day Istanbul and attest to the importance of the city as a major centre of cultures and civilisations. This photographic exhibition also presents general information about the historical conditions that prevailed in the pre-Tanzimat Ottoman period, the travelers and researchers who documented these Greek Orthodox churches and a description of the elements and liturgical spaces of the church buildings. With information provided in five languages (Turkish, Greek, English, Russian and Romanian), this exhibition at the Sismanoglio Megaro is the first of the year 2010, during which Istanbul has been designated Cultural Capital of Europe. The curator of this exhibition is the Byzantinist, Dr. Zafer Karaca, whose book on The Greek Orthodox Churches in Istanbul before the Tanzimat was published by Yapı Kredi Yayınları in 2008. His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew inaugurated the exhibition at its opening ceremony. n

Turkey’s “Van cats” Become Mascot of 2010 FIBA World Championship Turkey’s ‘Van cats’ become mascot of the 2010 World Basketball Championships which will take place in the cities of Ankara, Kayseri, Istanbul and Izmir between August 28th and September 12th. The breed originates from the Lake Van area of southeastern Turkey and is distinctive by its un-feline like love for water, which is why some call it the ‘swimming cat’. Normally with a coat of white fur and blue eyes, the Van Cat is perhaps most distinctive because they are loyal, loving and intelligent. Some owners, in fact, have described them as ‘dogs in a cat suit’ because they want to be with people wherever they go. Van cats are large, all white, and often have different colored eyes, like the mascot for the 2010 FIBA World Championship. The name of the mascot will be chosen with online voting on the tournament’s official Web site in 2010 by the Turkish fans. The draw for group matches of the 2010 World Basketball Championship, to be hosted by Turkey, was announced in Istanbul. n

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Third Railway Gate Between Turkey-Syria Opens The third railway gate between Turkey and Syria opened in Elbeyli town of the southeastern province of Kilis on December 22. Turkish Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim and his Syrian counterpart Yarub Sulayman Badr inaugurated the Cobanbey Railway Border Pass.

Turkish Industry and Trade Minister Nihat Ergun said that the visa requirement between Turkey and Egypt must be ended.

“We have come one more step closer to Hejaz Minister Ergun had a tete-a-tete meeting with Egyptian Minister of Foreign railway with inauguration of this border pass,” Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid after which the two ministers Yildirim said during the inauguration ceremony. held a joint press conference.

The Cobanbey station and 56-kilometer-long Visa requirement between Turkey and Egypt must be ended. Hopefully, Cobanbeyli-Karkamis line were opened in 1912 talks on the issue would be completed and visa requirement between our on the Hejaz railway route, and has not been two countries would come to an end, Ergun stressed. renovated for 100 years. Minister Yildirim said Our two countries share deep historical and cultural relations. The Turkey and Syria were working to make their geography we are situated on presents many opportunities to our two geography more developed, stable and peaceful, countries. Businesspeople, investors and the peoples of the two countries to put an end to bloodshed and tears, and to raise must benefit from such opportunities, Ergun noted. the living standards of their people and to make We are working to promote relations between Turkey and Egypt. One of them more prosperous. Yildirim said that Turkey the steps taken in this direction was the signing of a free trade agreement. and Syria had raised their trade volume from With this agreement, the trade volume between Turkey and Egypt 500 million to 1.8 billion USD in ten years, and exceeded three billion USD, Ergun said.

There are other steps that we must take. We have evaluated such steps. We lifted obstacles before trade, transportation and will focus on strengthening relations between Turkish and Egyptian banks. investments. Under the project, Turkey renovated When Turkish banks open branches in Egypt and vice versa, the task of 150-kilometer-long Cobanbey (Kilis)-Gaziantep businesspeople would get easier, Ergun said. n railway. The Cobanbey station is the third one following Nusaybin and Islahiye, opening to the Middle East. Turkey aims to transport more than 1 million tons of cargo to Syria and Middle Eastern countries from Southeastern Anatolia provinces through this route, and to raise its actual export capacity by 125 percent. n

Syrian Tourism to Turkey has Skyrocketed

Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts Has Moved to its New Building After operating from the Luvr Apartment in Beyoğlu for 15 years, Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) has moved to another historical building, Deniz Palas, in Şişhane. Deniz Palas was built in the art-nouveau style at the beginning of the 20th century by architect Georges Coulouthros and now will be home to İKSV, the foundation that, through festivals and events, has enriched the cultural and artistic life of Istanbul for 37 years. Deniz Palas was purchased by İKSV in 2004 and opened its doors to art lovers as one of the venues of the 9th International Istanbul Biennial in 2005. The restoration of the building began in September 6, 2006. It took 14 million dollars and 3 years of renovation work for the building to become the new offices of İKSV in order to continue contributing to the active cultural and artistic life of İstanbul.

From January onwards, with a space of 4.200 square meters and 7 floors, Deniz Palas will not only host the İKSV offices but also a variety of venues that will turn the İKSV building into a meeting point for art lovers. At the entrance level, design and art enthusiasts may find a fresh address for a selection of exclusive gifts in the İKSV Design shop. The İKSV Design shop will feature product applications of works by leading Turkish artists, exclusive collections by Turkish designers and products by world-class museum and design brands like MOMA. In addition to the İKSV Design Shop, the entrance will be home to “Peralı” café under the management of Borsa. The performance centre “Salon” is on the entrance and first floor of the building. With an audience capacity of 200 seated and 600 standing, Salon will host classical, jazz, rock, alternative and world music concerts, along with theatre and dance shows, events for children, panels and conferences. Salon will open its doors for the first time on January 16, 2010. At the top floor and terrace of the building will be a restaurant managed by Borsa, overlooking the Golden Horn. Here, visitors of İKSV’s new building will be able to savour one of the prettiest views in Istanbul, along with an exclusive menu prepared by Rasim Özkanca and Şakir Eczacıbaşı. IKSV’s move to Deniz Palas is not only important because an art institution has changed its location but also because it is a move to preserving the unique identity of Istanbul, along with being a significant contribution to the city’s cultural and artistic life. With its new building, İKSV prepares to add fresh and new colours to the cultural and artistic life of Istanbul. Sadi Konuralp Caddesi, No: 5 Şişhane 34433 Istanbul. n

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11th New York Turkish Film Festival The American Turkish Society (Amerikan Türk Cemiyeti) and the Moon and Stars Project present the 11th New York Turkish Film Festival, a breathtaking selection of contemporary films coming out of Turkey. Opening Wednesday, December 2nd at the SVA Theater and continuing through Saturday, December 5th, this year’s festival offers an exciting line-up that presents the most current examples of Turkey’s thriving film industry. As evidenced by the attention garnered by directors such as Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Fatih Akın in international film festivals, Turkish film has come far in recent years. Many of the films in this year’s line-up have won awards on the international film circuit, but many of them are unknown in the U.S. The American Turkish Society and the Moon and Stars Project are excited to present these talented filmmakers to a New York audience. The 11th New York Turkish Film Festival and parallel film festivals in Madison (WI), Milwaukee (WI) and Seattle (WA) have been made possible through a generous grant by the Turkish Cultural Foundation. The New York Turkish Film Festival was sponsored by The Marmara Manhattan, Turkish Culture and Tourism Office, Ramerica International and FedExTurkey. Presented in conjunction with “Octet: Codes and Context in Recent Art,” an exhibition of works by faculty, students and alumni of the BFA Fine Arts Department at the School of Visual Arts, the festival opens with Atalay Taşdiken’s Mommo: The Bogeyman, based on the true

story of two siblings in the authentic landscapes of Çavuş village, near Konya in central Turkey. The lonely struggles of the youth also find voice in Black Dogs Barking by Mehmet Bahadır Er and Maryna Gorbach, this time in the outskirts of Istanbul, where two best friends’ dreams of wealth turn to nightmares with the local mafia.. Özcan Alper’s psychological drama Autumn, set against the post 90s modern realities and urban dysfunction, presents an unlikely affair between a young former political activist, just released from prison, and a Georgian prostitute at the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The sense and meaning of family is explored at Reha Erdem’s My Only Sunshine and Yeşim Ustaoğlu’s Pandora’s Box, both of which tell the story of young teenagers and grandparents. The festival will close by a truly inspiring documentary by Kazim Öz’s The Last Season: Shawaks on the life of members of the nomadic Shawak community living in villages of near Tunceli in Eastern Turkey. Founded in 1949, The American Turkish Society is America’s oldest not-forprofit organization seeking to enhance economic, political, and cultural ties between Turkey and the United States. The Moon and Stars Project is dedicated to promoting greater cultural interaction between the United States and Turkey, and fostering mutual understanding and respect between different nations, cultures, and religions. n

In Brief * Ulkay Atmaca has been appointed to Majesty Kemer Beach Hotel in Antalya as Asim Sahinoglu General Manager. * General Coordinator of Crystal Hotels; Umman Cetinbas has been elected as Skål Antalya President. * Gökçe Kesikçiler named General Manager of Solto Alaçatı Hotel. * Yeşim Kafadar has been appointed The Marmara Taksim as Sales Coordinator. * Dedeman Antalya Hotels & Convention Center appointed Rıfat Orhan Koral as Geylan Dursunoglu Umman Cetinbas General Manager. * Hamdi Topçu has been appointed Turkish Airlines (THY) as Chairman. * The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul is appointed Martin Kleinmann as hotel’s new General Manager. * Erhan Çakay is appointed to Miapera Hotel in Pera, Istanbul as General Manager. * Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International appointed Asim Sahinoglu as “Business Development Director” Dilek Araç Gökçe Kesikçiler * Geylan Dursunoglu named General Manager at Hilton Dalaman Hotel. * Dilek Araç has been selected to ‘Izmir’s Entrepreneur Women’ project. Mrs. Araç is the only business women selected from tourism industry. * Mehmet Korkmaz has been appointed Merit Hotels as General Manager. * Adnan Yücel has been appointed Swissôtel Göcek Marina&Resort as General Manager.

Mehmet Korkmaz Yesim Kafadar * Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay appointed William Latour as the new General Manager. * Emrullah Akçakaya has been appointed Swissôtel Ankara as General Manager.

Ulkay Atmaca

Rıfat Orhan Koral

Hamdi Topçu

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Erhan Çakay

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ATB – Damascus

Under the Patronage of Syrian Ministry of Tourism, the 7th ATB (Arab Tourism Bourse) Travel & Tourism Fair held in the Damascus Fairgrounds, with the participation of more than 17 Arab and foreign countries and 40 tourism companies.

Several activities and events took place at the fair, including seminars and meetings for businessmen and specialists, tourist workshops, and tourist trips and programs organized to introduce Arab and foreign participants to the most important historic sites in Damascus.

Turkey attended the fair with a booth and many participating companies promoting Turkey to the Arab countries.

The four-day fair presented new products and trends in the tourism industry; especially at Syria and the region. Moreover, companies made deals and exchanging expertise and information for the coming season.

Syrian Tourism Minister Dr. Saadallah Aghaa Al Kala visited Turkey stand

Vehip Ozdemir and M.Siddik Yildirim from Turkish Embassy of Syria.

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Turkish stand at ATB-Damascus

Focus On EXHIBITION

Meral Seyman- Medical Aeshtetic-Istanbul promotes health tourism in Turkey.

Levent Uyaniker- Bayindir Hospital, Turkey

Faik kaptanoglu; Chairman of Alanya Tourism &Promotion Foundation promotes Alanya and the region to Arab tourists.

Egypt stand

Malaysia stand

Arzu Berdici-The Blue Furat tourism NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

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WTM-London World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, has succeeded in substantially raising the quality of business visitors to this year’s event with an expected increase in the number of exhibitor invites attending WTM 2009.

The number of exhibitor invitees who attended WTM increased to more than 8,000 (8,062). Almost all participants from Turkey are happy from the UK market growth in 2009 and expect same amount of travel in 2010.

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Ertugrul Karaoglu -Intra Tourism ( right) with his clients.

Nesrin Gochan; Tursab Adana Regional Committee President, -Ela Atakan-Tursab

Veli Cilsal-Ani Tour

Feza Solaklar-The Marmara Hotels

Yesim Kafadar; Director of Sales & Marketing at Barcelo Eresin Topkapi Hotel

From left: Sadun Alp, Selin Surmeli and Orhun Inkaya-Surmeli Hotels

From left: Seref Karakan-Spa Hotel Colossae- and Mehmet Korkmaz-Director of Tourism Denizli

Muberra Eresin-Eresin Hotels

From left: Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & SPA General Manager Zafer Alkaya and Hakan Duran; General Manager of Cornelia De Luxe Resort Hotel

Mrs.Serap Tibuk and Reha Arar - Merit International Hotels & Resorts

Omer Tosun - Museum Hotel-Cappadocia

Mr Haluk Tuncsu-President of The Foundation of Tourism and Promotions of Izmir and Mrs. Tuncsu represented Izmir at WTM

NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

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3rd NATTA Himalayan Intl. Travel Mart The third edition of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) Himalayan International Travel Mart held in Kathmandu between November23-25,2009.

The travel mart, which is being held in the capital of Nepal at its third year, is accepted as of the most important international biennial events in the country.

The travel mart provided a wonderful opportunity for the tourism industry to assemble together under a common roof and mutually interact to sprawl their business network further. Visitors of the event started communication and networking with official gatherings, B2B sessions and social functions and learn more about the city and its culture with city and shopping tours as well as the customary day long excursion set at the Shangri-La ambience of the city of Kathmandu.

The 3rd NATTA Himalayan International Travel Mart 2009 organized with the support of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Nepal Airlines Corporation.

Necati Ozkan( North Cyprus) and Nihat Boytuzun (Turkey) were in Kathmandu for UFTAA Congress and also visited NATTA.

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Asia Pacific Destinations Facing 5% Drop in International Arrivals Figures released today by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) show that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region* grew by 0.7 percent year-onyear in September 2009.

Growth in arrivals for the region is still down by five percent year-on-year for the first nine months of 2009. Two sub-regions recorded positive growth for the month. International visitor arrivals to Southeast Asia grew by 14 percent while arrivals to the Pacific were up nine percent. The strong 25 percent growth in arrivals to Malaysia and the rebound in arrivals to Thailand (from a low base in September 2008) boosted overall arrivals growth into Southeast Asia. Arrivals to most destinations in the Pacific also increased compared to September 2008. Australia (+9 percent), New Zealand (+9 percent) and Hawaii (+8 percent) all showed positive trends. International visitor arrivals to Northeast Asia, the largest sub-region by number of arrivals, were down by two percent in September 2009 and, together with the Americas (-3 percent) and South Asia (-1 percent), offset the positive growth seen in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Falling foreign inbound numbers for China (PRC) (-4 percent) and Japan (-16 percent) depressed growth in the Northeast Asia region in spite of positive results from Hong Kong SAR (+3 percent), Macau SAR (+4 percent), Chinese Taipei (+11 percent) and Korea (ROK) (+16 percent). The one percent decline in arrivals to South Asia was largely driven by the four percent fall in international arrivals into India.

Tourism demand in Sri Lanka, on the other hand, continued to improve, recording a 29 percent increase in arrivals for September 2009. Kris Lim, Associate Director of PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC), says, “This year is shaping up to be one of the worst for many years for international arrivals into Asia Pacific destinations. The full-year contraction in arrival numbers could be as much as five percent. This means the region could end the year with some 17 million fewer visitors this year as compared to the 377 million recorded in 2008. “We have lost two years of growth. According to the IMF the global economy is predicted to expand by three percent next year - but faster growth is expected for the Asia Pacific region at about double the global growth rate. The prospects for 2010 appear promising but it needs to be stressed that there is no quick fix for the travel and tourism industry. All stakeholders must continue to work together to lead the industry out of the crisis,” adds Kris Lim. * 41 destinations as measured and reported in the PATA Annual Tourism Monitor. n

IFT Belgrade Celebrates 32nd year The 32nd IFT International Tourism Fair will take place in Belgrade – Serbia. Organizers announce that the 32nd IFT will have more cover this year Belgrade Fair and guests will be able to see what Serbia offers as a tourism product. The 2010 edition of the fair will cover approximately 32,600 sq. m. The 31st International Tourism Fair in Belgrade took place on February 26 – March 1, 2009, in the Halls 1, 1A, 2, 3 and 4. The most complete offer of the local and international destinations was presented at approximately 28,000 sq. m. gross exhibiting space by 830 Exhibitors from 38 countries. The discounts reaching even 20% of the package price, the First Minute Offers, the best offer of the hotel and catering equipment, the presentation and education on the hotel booking systems, a presentational of national cuisines, specialties tasting from the menu of the most distinguished national companies, the music, carnival and fashion shows were just a part of what attracted 52,516 visitors. In addition to the presentation of the local and international tour operators, the accommodation capacities, the tourist organizations, booking systems, the hotel and catering equipment, natural attractions, tourism education and media, organizer’s efforts will be additionally oriented to getting the Serbian rural tourism offer closer to the local and international visitors. In addition to the Serbian rural tourism, the fair will also feature the Danube tourism, in the Hall 2 – B Level. For the wine and travel fans, a special pleasure will be a new event, taking place within the Tourism Fair, in the Hall 3A, under the name The Wine Routes of the Former Yugoslavia. n

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ATF 2010 TRAVEX The 29th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), the region’s foremost tourism and travel event, to be hosted by member-nation, Brunei Darussalam, in Bandar Seri Begawan, from 21 to 28 January 2010, has registered overwhelming response. All 373 exhibiting booths at TRAVEX (Travel Exchange) have been snapped up and the ten member-nations are well represented at the annual event which showcases the best of travel products and services in ASEAN. Thailand and Malaysia lead the pack with the largest number of participating organisations. Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohamed, CEO of Brunei Tourism, ATF 2010 Host Committee, said, “As the global economy is already showing strong signs of recovery, this is an opportune time for sellers to capitalise on suitable platforms available to re-ignite interests and develop businesses. The sell-out reinforces ATF as a great vehicle for networking and trade for the ASEAN tourism industry.” Among the expected turnout of more than 1,400 delegates, some 400 buyers from the Asia-Pacific (57 per cent), Europe (33 per cent) and the rest of the world will congregate in Brunei Darussalam, at the three-day TRAVEX event from 26 to 28 January at the new BRIDEX (Brunei International Defence Exhibition) Centre in Jerudong. Apart from TRAVEX, delegates will also get to explore the unexpected treasures of Brunei and Borneo through the pre-show city tours and post-show tours jointly organised by Brunei Tourism, Sabah Tourism and Sarawak Tourism. These include visits to historic sites and cultural landmarks, spa treats, as well as exciting nature and scenic tours across Brunei and Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia. Driven by the theme - ‘ASEAN - The Heart of Green’, another highlight of ATF 2010 is the ASEAN Tourism Conference (ATC) to be held on 26 January. It will feature a keynote address, titled ‘Sustainable Tourism in Transboundary Conservation Areas’, by acclaimed authority on eco-tourism - Hitesh Mehta - on how the region can embrace sustainable development principles and encourage responsible travel behaviour that will help conserve the environment and bio-diversity, as well as sustain the well-being of the local people. Mehta’s vast experience in sustainable landscape and architectural design projects, eco-lodge and eco-resort design, environmental and protected area planning across continents has earned him the reputation of being one of the world’s foremost leading authorities on eco-tourism. Currently an adjunct professor at the Florida Atlantic University in the US, Mehta runs his own landscape architecture and planning firm - HM Design - with ongoing projects in Costa Rica, Indonesia, Panama and Dominica and the West Indies. From 1997 to 2006, he held the position of Vice-President and Head of the Ecotourism and Environmental Planning Market Sector at EDSA (Florida), the world’s largest landscape architecture and planning firm, during which he played an instrumental role in many key projects, such as the Eco-tourism Product Implementation Programme in Kenya and the Vision Plan for Wailoaloa Ecolodge in Nadi, Fiji. In addition, a panel discussion will be chaired by leading industry professionals, who include Tony Charters, Principal of Tony Charters and Associates and Anthony Wong, Group Managing Director of Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel Sdn. Bhd. They will share their experiences on developing eco-tourism projects in transboundary conservation areas. With an increasingly sophisticated market of travellers, the aptly-themed event is well poised to meet the demand for green facilities and fuel greater awareness of socially responsible tourism. For full details of ATF 2010 and regular updates, visit http://www. atfbrunei.com/. n

PATA Welcomes New Green Economy Initiative The Pacific Asia Travel Association welcomes and fully support the ‘Live the Deal’ climate change initiative announced by Professor Geoffrey Lipman on behalf of greenearth.travel - a policy think tank for ‘innovation and investment in smart, sustainable travel and tourism mobility and new climate profiles’. The think tank also seeks to support new climate targets and actions by tracking and reporting sector progress; encourage fair and balanced market, regulatory and financing approaches; identify investment and innovation to help reduce carbon impacts and climate profiles; and to promote policy dialogue and change management in support of the transition. Professor Lipman has held senior positions in UNWTO, WTTC and IATA over the past three decades and has been a leading green tourism advocate since the Rio Earth Summit. ‘Live the Deal’ is designed to help the travel and tourism industry members play a full part in the Copenhagen 2050 climate stabilisation plan by encouraging them to commit to carbon reduction programmes, increase its use of clean renewable energy and play a key role in the long-term shift to a green economy. Performance will be recorded, tracked against national Copenhagen Process commitments and supported through greenearth.travel’s website, annual report, think tank and global conference. Support includes an on-line carbon emissions measurement tool designed specifically for travel and tourism businesses and destinations. It will also profile champions, good practice and low carbon/ renewable energy innovation. “This initiative is timely, welcome and makes an important commitment to the vital process of culture change. Our industry must recognise its responsibilities and make a substantive contribution to carbon reduction. We welcome the objectives set by greenearth.travel and we will be encouraging all our members to fully support this initiative,” says PATA CEO Greg Duffell. n

The largest fair in the East Mediterranean and Eurasia!

The 14th edition of the biggest summit of East Mediterranean and Eurasia will take place on 11 - 14 February 2010, in Istanbul’s TUYAP Beylikdüzü Exhibition Center. EMITT brings together 3,000 exhibitors from 46 destinations, attracting nearly 100,000 visitors from all areas of the industry. This comprehensive and wide-ranging exhibition provides an invaluable opportunity to meet with industry professionals and view the travel & tourism market from an exceptional standpoint.

Many companies find that it is vital for building brand recognition, gauging demand and building long-term relationships with local agents. EMITT is supported by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, TOBB, 6 Chambers and 36 regional associations and foundations. n

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Gaziantep, a City

Full of Food

G

aziantep is one of the oldest culturel center of the region.

Its history dates back B.C 4000 and it is located between Mesopotamia and Mediterranean,on the Silk Road.

Because of being on ancient connection roads made a lot of civilizations covet this city.This roads trade roads are connected with Urfa,Kalkamis,Duluk,Islahiye,Kili s and Halep. The geological state of the city is important.

There are some ore beds whihch were thougt to be useed in Ancient Age,at Taurus Mountains. It is explained in the epitaphs that iron mines were run and steal was gotten with

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Delights

the tecnology of the period. In Gaziantep, there are traces belongs to Paelotic, Neolithic, Calceotik, Bronze Ages, Hittites, Romans, Byzantium, Seljuk. Gaziantep has been an important religion centre since Hittites.Gaziantep was known as holy city of Hittites main god Tesup and the city saved this feature during Greeks and Romans. Gaziantep is a tourism centre with its cultural, natural, Geographical beauties. Districts: Gaziantep (center), Araban, Islahiye, Karkamis, Nizip, Oguzeli, Nurdagi, Sahinbey, Sehit Kamil, Yavuzeli.

Focus On COVER STORY

Gaziantep is located at the point where Mediterranean and Southeast Anatolian regions meet and it is neighbour to Syria.

More then the half of the lands of the region are convenient for farming and they are covered with olive, pistachio nuts trees, fruit and vegetable gardens, grape gardens, cotton and wheat arable fields.

What to see Belkis/Zeugma Ruins: This ancient city is by the river Firat, in the borders of village Belkis, in district Nizip. It is founded on 20 thousands of land. It had been always an important point during history. It was one of the biggest city of its period with its population of 80 thousand. Selevkos Nikator, who was first one of the generals of Alexander Great, became king of Syria and founded a city at this region in 399 B.C. The name of the city was Selevkos Euphrates. The city was taken by Romans in the 1st century. Since that time, the city is mentioned as “Zeugma” which means bridge, passageway.

Famous geographer Strabon made research about Zeugma.

Many important improvements were done during the Hellenistic period. A temple for fate god Thyke was constructed on the acropolis, at the city. This temple is still underground. The ancient city minted its own coins. There was the pattern of Thyke Temple at the one side of the coins and Rome Eagle pattern at the other side.

Duluk: this ancient city is on the historical Silk Road. Stone tools prove the human settlement during the 6000s B.C, at the cave Sarkli. The city was mentioned as Doliche in the history and it was the religion centre of Tesup that is the main god of Hittites.

There are a lot of rock graves and churches around.

Karkamis Ruins: It is determined that Karkamis ruins are settlement centre of Neolithic period. Epic Gilghamis is depicted at the ortosts of the city, during the late Hittite period. The remains from this region are exhibited at the Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum.

Inns: There are a lot of inns and caravanserais at the Gaziantep which is on the Silk Road. Tuz Inn, Sire Inn, Hisva Inn, Mecidiye Inn, Emir Ali Inn, Kurkcu Inn, Belediye Inn, Elbeyli Inn, Yeni Inn, Haci Omer Inn and Millet Inn are the most important ones.

Gaziantep Castle: It is one of the most beautiful castles of Turkey that still stands. There is no certain information about the founders and foundation date of the castle. It is thought that it had been an observation tower of Rome Period and in the course of the time it was enlarged. There are hamam ruins, cisterns and structure ruins at the castle.

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You can find traditional hand made gifts and souvenirs in the old markets.

Rum Castle : Its former name was Hromgle. Syrians called this city KalaRhomata. It was conquered by Memluks at the ends of XII. Century and named as “Kal-at el Muslimin”. After Mercidabik War, the city was taken by Ottomans. There is still some structure ruins of Turk-Islam period. The Firat Valley which is between Samsat and Rum Castle is full of caves of prehistoric period.

Traditional Antep Architecture and Houses: The city has a deep-seated and rich architecture in the course of history.

There are residents, mosques, inns and hamams (Turkish baths). The climate, plant cover, topography and social life of the region effected the construction of those structures. Because of the hot summers the houses have courtyards where people spend most of their time in summer. The

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streets are narrow and shaded. The Antep houses are abstracted from the outer places by high walls. They are generally twostoried and have a salient part which looks to the street at the second floor.

Promenades: Forests dulukbaba, Karpuzatan (Oguzeli), Kavaklik, Dutluk, Nafak, Forests Burc, Pond Burc, town Buyuksahinbey, Nizip Karpuzatan and Cifte pools.

Seyh Fethullah Mosque and Kulliye: It is the most important historical structure in Gaziantep. It contains a mosque, a dervish lodge, hamam and medrese. Today the medrese doesn’t exist. It has an important place in the Turk-Islam architecture with its vault. There is a hand-written Koran which was written by Seyh Fethullah inside the mosque.

Focus on Cover Story

Boyaci Mosque: It is the oldest mosque of Gaziantep and it was constructed by Boyaci Yusuf and Kadi Kemalettin, in 1357. The mosque belongs to the period of Turkish Memluks. It has rich marble and tile adornments. The wooden minber is decorated with star, palmet, rosette and geometrical patterns.

Omeriye Mosque: It is located in the Dugmeci quarter of Gaziantep. Its constructor isn’t known.

There is beautiful samples of stone workmanship at the minaret.

Ahmet Celebi Mosque: It is in Ulucanlar quarter.

The founder of the mosque is Haci Osmanoglu Seyh Ramazan Efendi who is in the ancestry of the Prophet.

It is kulliye which includes a medrese, mosque and a kastel. According to its inscription it was constructed in 1672.Its wooden adornments attract attention.

Yusa Prophet Tomb: Prophet Yusa is nephew of Hz. Musa. He rescued Israil from being nomad he settled them to Arz-i Kenan. There are two tombs at the two rooms of a building in the region Pir Sefa. One of them belongs to prophet Yuse , other Pir Sefa.

Pir Sefa Hazretleri Tomb: Pir Sefa and Prophet Yusa are buried at the same place. Rumour has it that Pir Sefa was from Medine and he died during the conquest of Gaziantep by Muslims. So he was buried here.

Okkesiye Hazretleri Tomb: This tomb is located at a hill which is in the southeast of Mountain Nurdagi.

It is 17 km. from Gozluhoyuk. Rumour has it that Okkesiye Hazretleri was one of the five sahabis who died during the conquest of Gaziantep and its around.

Rumkale: Rumkale is located in the village Kasaba, in district Yavuzeli. It is at the point where river Firat and stream Merzimen meet. It is thought that it was constructed in the 840 B.C, during the period of Hittites. Johannes who was one of the 12 apostles of

Gaziantep has an important place in the Turk-Islam architecture with its vault. Old markets, covered bazaars and souvenir shops are the treasures of the city.

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What to Eat Cuisine of Gaziantep has been at a privileged place among the Turk and World cuisines. Icli Kofte ,cig kofte, eksili ufak kofte, yogurtlu ufak kofte are spacial meat dishes of the region. the province acquire fame with its kebabs. there are various kinds of kebabs.

Aubergine Kebab Ingredients :1.5 kg of aubergines (bi and long), 1.5 kg. mince meat, 5-6 tomatoes, 5-6 peppers, salt, blac pepper.

Preparing :After washing the aubergines chop them in width for 3 cm. long.At the same time knead the mince meat ,salt and black pepper.

Then put a piece of aubergine and mince meat as big as walnut to the shishes and flat it with your hand. Put the tomatoes and peppers at a different shish. Cook them on flame free brazier.

Famous film star Brad Pitt used Gaziantep slippers in his film Troy.

Jesus, make Rumkale a centre during the Roman period and published Christianity in Gaziantep and around.

Rumour has it that there had been a rough copy of Bible saved at a rock engraved room but it had been taken to Beirut.

The castle is accepted as holy because it is thought that the grave of the Johannes is inside the castle.

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(Bakircilar Bazaar) Bakircilar Bazaar is the most favorable place for the tourists.

Sport Activities Camp-Caravan: There are camp possibilities at the forests Dulukbaba which is covered with cedar trees.

Hunting: It is possible to hunt partridge, wild duck and wild goose around the river Firat.

Trekking with Horses: It is done around Rum Catle, river Firat, stream Merziman, Sofdagi and plateaus Hizir. Beside there are tracks where sport activities with horses are possible, at the forests Burc.

Trekking: Plateau Hizir (Mountains Amanos), Sof Mountain Plateau (Sof Mountain), Rumkale, side of river Firat, forests Duluk and forests Burc.

Fishing: Sahinbey Burc pond, Tahtakopru dam lake, Hancagiz Dam lake, Alleben pond and river Firat are the areas where fishing is possible.

How to go There are several daily flights to Gaziantep with airlines. The Gaziantep International Airport is 20 km. from the city centre.

Where to stay You can find a bed in a pension to five star hotels, for any budget in Gaziantep.

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Focus On TRAVEL AGENT & TOUR OPERATORS

New Opportunities Added to ASTA’s IDE 2010 Istanbul Those planning to attend ASTA’s upcoming International Destination Expo in Istanbul (April 1922, 2010) now have an additional certification course they can attend, as well as several new hotel options from which to choose. “ASTA continues to enhance the offerings for attendees to its International Destination Expo, presenting them with cutting-edge educational sessions and the chance to become a certified expert on Turkey and the surrounding regions,” said Chris Russo, ASTA’s president and chair. “Nowhere else can today’s travel agent find that kind of hands-on learning.”

The following educational session has been added: Certification Session Treasures of Southern Europe. Presented by Anna Fesmire, CTC, DS. Courtesy of The Travel Institute. Travel agents looking to strengthen their appeal to sophisticated upscale travelers will learn how to sell six countries in southern Europe-Andorra, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Malta, Monaco and San Marino-that hold attractions out of proportion to their size. Among the smallest and oldest countries in the world, these nations offer something for a wide range of travelers: summer and winter sports, luxury goods at bargain prices, distinctive cuisines that reflect their multi-ethnic populations and fascinating history as reflected in art, architecture, and cultural practices. Travel agents can expand their knowledge in this two-hour, interactive session then exercise an option to return for The Travel Institute’s Destination Specialist test to verify their grasp of essential details. Qualified travel agents and journalists who register to attend IDE also receive free accommodation for the four nights of the conference. New to the already listed five-star hotels are the: Marmara Hotel Taksim. Rising 20 stories, the Marmara Taksim is a deluxe five-star hotel for both business and leisure travelers who want the very best. The hotel, a landmark building, is at the center of the business, shopping, theater and entertainment districts in the heart of Istanbul, Taksim Square.

Ramada Plaza Hotel. Walking distance from Taksim Square, the Istanbul Convention & Exhibition Center and Nisantasi, Istanbul’s most in-vogue district, the Ramada Plaza is where comfort and aesthetic meet. The property marries cozy ambiance and high-tech facilities, featuring a self-controlled air conditioning system, satellite connection, LCD televisions with Pay TV and private TV channels, data port and WIFI access.

Grand Cevahir Hotel. The Grand Cevahir Hotel and Centre has been designed to offer a combination of five-star technology with five-star comfort. It’s located 18 km from Ataturk Airport and a few minutes away from Mecidiyeköy, Sisli and Taksim Square, which are significant business centers. Traditional Turkish cuisine is served in the Deliz and Sultan restaurants, which can serve up to 2,000 people in Europe’s Biggest Ball Room. Check www.ASTA.org/expo to register for IDE and see which hotels are available. For more information or to register, go to ASTA.org/events. The mission of ASTA (the American Society of Travel Agents) is to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. ASTA seeks a retail travel marketplace that is profitable and growing and a rewarding field in which to work, invest and do business. n

Peter Sommer Travels Unveils New Cruising Tours in 2010 & New Website Peter Sommer Travels, leading provider of specialist archaeological tours, gulet cruises and private charters in Turkey, Greece - and now Sicily - unveils its new brochure featuring a combination of 21 brand-new and classic tours.

These are showcased, together with a great deal of other travel information, from videos to recipes, travel articles to picture galleries, on their newly designed website. Brand new for 2010 is the addition of Sicily to their unique gulet cruise itineraries, with two new and absolutely exceptional tours exploring the island’s coastline and taking in some of the Mediterranean’s most impressive ancient sites. Another first is a Turkish gastronomic gulet cruise touring the untouched southwest Mediterranean coast while enjoying and learning the art of Turkish cuisine. There are also two new tours in Greece exploring the history, archaeology and beauty of the Dodecanese islands from Samos in the north to Rhodes in the south. Three of the expert led tours are family adventures, holidays designed for families with children aged 7 and over.

Company founder Peter Sommer says: “We strive to create the very finest cultural tours led by the most knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate guides. We offer holidays that are at the same time restful and inspiring, fun and fascinating.

Archaeological adventures are at the heart of what we do, bringing history to life, on the very spot it was made, all the while offering exemplary personal care and service.” Peter Sommer Travels’ new brochure features a rich array of scheduled tours that combine the joy of beautiful boats with small groups of

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like-minded people (maximum 14 guests on a gulet cruise), all the while offering value for money, experience and quality, and itineraries that have been meticulously planned by expert enthusiasts. Exciting new tours for 2010 include Sailing the Sicilian Shore (Sat 4 Sep - Sat 18 Sep, £4360) - This brand new and utterly unique tour takes in Sicily’s natural beauty, delectable cuisine and stunning archaeological sites along its northern and southern coast. Includes the temples at Segesta, Selinunte and Agrigento; the bustling and beautiful towns of Cefalu and Palermo; and the mosaic filled Roman villa at Piazza Armerina. Cruising by Etna (Sat 18 Sep - Sat 25 Sep, £2380) - Exploring the eastern coast of Sicily with its exquisite Baroque architecture and stunning ancient sites like Syracuse, this new tour takes in the lava-clad ruins of Catania, the Roman theatre at Taormina and, led by a volcanologist, the rugged slopes of Mount Etna. A Gastronomic Gulet Cruise (Sat 29 May - Sat 5 Jun, £1745) - Cruising the stunning southwestern Mediterranean coast of Turkey this special trip led by a Turkish archaeologist and passionate foodie will take guests on a cultural and culinary adventure. Cruising the Southern Dodecanese (Sat 8 May - Sat 15 May, £1790) - Following a graceful route through the lower Dodecanese, this trip combines leisurely cruises with archaeological adventures on beautiful islands. Cruising the Dodecanese (Sat 11 Sep - Fri 24 Sep, £2885) - The entire Dodecanese chain is explored over a 2-week odyssey taking in Crusader castles and medieval monasteries as well as traditional Greek island life. n

Focus On TRAVEL AGENT & TOUR OPERATORS

Basaran Ulusoy Elected for the 6th time as TURSAB President The 19th General Assembly of TURSAB Association of Turkish Travel Agencies was held in Istanbul. Basaran Ulusoy re-elected to the Presidency for the sixth time. The 19th General Assembly started on Saturday, December 5 at Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Center. About a thousand of TURSAB members attended the General Assembly which was also honored by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay, Turkish Culture and Tourism Promotion Director Cumhur Güven Tasbasi, TUROFED President Ahmet Barut, TYD President Turgut Gur, TUREB President Serif Yenen. The General Assembly started with a video presentation of TURSAB; showing what has been done by the association since the last general assembly. TURSAB President Basaran Ulusoy made the opening speech.

Mr. Ulusoy said that Turkey got out of crisis with success, adding that Turkey will be the shining star of world in tourism industry in years of 2010 and 2011. Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay took the stage after Mr. Ulusoy and said that they are on duty in last two years. Mr. Günay stated that Turkey survived from the economical crisis and epidemic diseases in 2009. Turkey was the only country standing that powerful added by Mr. Günay. Mr. Günay by reminding of 26 million tourist arrivals this year, revealed their new target as increasing the tourism income of the country to well over 25 billion dollars.

The General Assembly ended on Sunday, December 06, 2009 by the election of Basaran Ulusoy as continued President of TURSAB. According to the announcement made by County Election Board; 1317 members voted from a total of 1951 General Assembly members. 1280 of the total votes are counted as valid while 37 of them are invalid. Basaran Ulusoy received 974 of the votes; Serhad Uslan got 319; while 268 votes counted for Polatoğlu Cem. New Board Members are as follows:

Executive Committee Full Members - Başaran Ulusoy - Günnur Özalp - Talha Görgülü - Feyyaz Yalçin - Bülent Katkat - Burak Tonbul - A. Alper Maşkan - Mehmet Hikmet Selçuk - Nesrin Göçhan

Executive Committee Deputy Members - Dilek Araç - Cem Çağlayan - Hanifi Araz - Şadan Önen - Sinan Haliç - Zeynep Çiloglu - Handan Atamer Engin - I. Ufuk dereli - Sevim Karabiyik Tokta Supervisory Board Full Members - Nebil Çelebi - Ismail Baki Özarslan - Semih Ulu Supervisory Board Deputy Members - Ediz Ergün - Zeliha Sözüşen - Hasibe Sözmen Disciplinary Board Full Members - Halit Davut Cura - Veli Terzi - Musa Alioglu Disciplinary Board Deputy Members - Mehmet Gücüyener - Ahmet M. Kozikoğlu - Hande Arslanalp

IAH Holidays Launched Tours for the European Culture of Capital of Istanbul 2010 Turkey and North Cyprus specialist; IAH Holidays based in UK announced the introduction of 2 tours for the European Culture of Capital Istanbul 2010. IAH also have launched www.istanbulcityofculture2010.com/ which is dedicated to the ECOC Istanbul 2010. The 2 new tours for the 2010, a 5 day budget and an 8 day deluxe tour.

The dates are open and the itinerary is designed so you can visit the 2010 Istanbul City of Culture events of your choice. Please look at their sister web site www.flightholiday.co.uk for flights etc. n NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

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Focus On HOTELS

Two Awards for Dedeman Princess Sofia Dedeman Princess Sofia, the hotel of Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International’s which is known as the symbol of Bulgaria, received two awards, “2009 Best Conference Tourism Hotel” and “Sofia Town 2009 tourism Award” that is granted by the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Owners Union. Dedeman Princess Sofia was the only hotel who received this award among the international hotel chains in Bulgaria and was also the only hotel that got two awards. Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Owners Union annually rates the hotels in many categories to determine the winners of the “2009 Tourism Awards”. The Best Conference Tourism award was given to Dedeman Princess Sofia. The results of the survey conducted by the board members showed that Dedeman Princess Sofia sticks out from the others with its high quality services. . The ceremony has been held in Dedeman Princess Sofia ‘Diamond Room’, on November 27th, 2009. Dedeman took the awards from the Sofia Town Manor, Mrs. Jordanka Fandıkova, there were also many other important names in the ceremony; the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Mr. Traciho Traikov, the Deputy Minister of Tourism Mr. Ivo Marinov, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Mr. Preslav Borisov, the Minister of Culture Dimitar Dereliev, the Head of the Committee of Consumer Protection Mr.Damjan Lazaro, the Head of Bulgarian Agency of Tourism Mr.Tzvetan Tonchev, the Head of Bulgarian Agency of Tour Operators Mss. Irena Georgieva. Hotel Dedeman Princess Sofia received the “Sofia Town 2009 Tourism Award” by succeeding the most room nights that enables the hotel to be the leader in the touristic taxes. The Deputy said that this award should encourage the others and expressed his gratitude to the hotel management for their support for the improvement of Sofia. Dedeman, which is the symbol of the Sofia, the Capital city of Bulgaria, is located in the city center besides the important historical monuments with its gorgeous building, comprising 601 rooms . The hotel ensures relaxing holiday with its perfect location and restaurant and bars which serve delicious menus. Dedeman Princess Sofia offers exclusive meeting rooms, guest rooms, lifestyle and beauty center, indoor swimming pool and fitness center which are equipped according to the guests’ needs. n

Grand Hyatt Status for Hyatt Regency İstanbul Following upgrades and investments in recent years, including enhancements to guestrooms and suites, meeting space and public areas, Hyatt Regency Istanbul announced its conversion to Grand Hyatt Istanbul. The brand change aligns the property with the other 34 Grand Hyatt hotels around the world, recognised by international travellers as leading properties in major gateway cities and international resort destinations. Grand Hyatt hotels worldwide are grand in scale and service. Known for their dramatic architecture, innovative dining options, state-of-the-art technology, spa and fitness centres, and comprehensive business and meeting facilities, Grand Hyatt hotels are places to enjoy, socialize and entertain. Customers of Grand Hyatt are experienced individual business and leisure travellers. ”Our property in Istanbul reflects all the elements of a Grand Hyatt hotel, based on its luxurious setting, excellent service and dining, and its renowned Hyatt PureTM Gaia Spa,” said Gebhard Rainer, managing director of Hyatt Hotels & Resorts - Europe, Africa and the Middle East. “As expansion of the hotel continues into 2011 with the restaurant slated for renovation,” Rainer added, “Grand Hyatt Istanbul will prove to be similar in its scope and services to our Grand Hyatt properties around the world.” Mr. Jiri Kobos, general manager of Grand Hyatt Istanbul, said that the hotel’s new status will create a fresh emphasis on employee training to ensure the delivery of customer service with precision.

“Above all,” said Kobos, “I believe that providing authentic hospitality is what makes a Grand Hyatt French hotel chain Accor opened two new hotels in Turkey’s worthy of its name. We are known for extensive training southeastern Anatolian city of Gaziantep. One of the hotels and we will place even greater emphasis on protocol operates under Accor’s famous brand Novotel, while the other and perfection with our new products and services.” n is operating under the Ibis brand. The Novotel Gaziantep is a 4 star hotel located in the central Gaziantep. The hotel is easily accessible by road and a few minutes walk from major attractions and commercial areas of the city. 92 modern rooms, included 4 suite rooms, WiFi internet, restaurant and bar and modern conference facilities, as well as an outdoor swimming pool and Qatar royal family has bought a five-star hotel in fitness room where you can relax after a tiresome day. The Ibis Marmaris town of southwestern province of Mugla.

Gaziantep is ideal for tourist or business stays. Located in the The company owned by Qatar’s Amir Sheikh centre of Gaziantep 20 km from Gaziantep Airport, is 1 km from Ahmad Ali al-Thani bought Munamar Hotel in Gaziantep Train Station and 3 km away from famous Gaziantep Icmeler hamlet in Marmaris, officials said. AlCastle. It has 177 rooms, including 4 accessible rooms. Thehotel Maselah Construction and Industry Co. paid 22 has a bar offering snacks 24 hours, 7 days. Wireless internet million Turkish lira for the hotel. (One dollar equals access in the public areas. n 1.48 TL) Munamar Hotel has totally 180 rooms including 13 suites and 2 king suites. n

Accor Opened Two Hotels in Turkey

Qatar Royal Family Buys Five-Star Hotel in Turkey

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Turkish Hotels Among World’s Best Hotels The Travel Leisure magazine included two Turkish hotels in world’s best 50 hotels in 2009. These hotels are The Marmara Bodrum and The Ceylan Intercontinental Istanbul. The Travel Leisure magazine carried out the survey by votes of hundreds of readers all around the world. A travel magazine based in New York City, New York, the Travel Leisure has around 4.8 million readers. It is put out by American Express Publishing, which also publishes Food & Wine, Travel Leisure Golf (defunct as of early 2009), Travel Leisure Family, and Departures magazines. n

The Boston Globe Recommends Museum Hotel in Cappadocia The Boston Globe, American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts recommends The Museum Hotel in Cappadocia, Turkey to its readers. “Where to stay in 2010?” titled article presents some hotels worldwide that readers should consider to stay. The Boston Globe says, A boutique cave, really In a lush valley in central Turkey shaped by a volcanic eruption 10 million years ago, the place to stay is in a cave. Many of them - dank, musty, and dark - are more appealing to bats than tourists. The Museum Hotel, built into the side of a hill, is considerably more welcoming. It overlooks the broad valley’s mahogany-colored canyons, goopy rock formations, and a massive volcano at the edge of the horizon. The air on the hill is cool and the views from the hotel’s infinity-edge pool are awe-inspiring. n

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport Hotel Opened Istanbul’s second international airport; Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, which recently announced opening of its new terminal, is ready to host travelers at its Airport Hotel. A three storey hotel with 128 rooms, adjacent to the terminal and with separate entrances at air and land sides started accepting travelers. The hotel has 2 rooms for handicapped travelers, 116 standard rooms, and 12 suites.

Travelers who would like to stay at the airport hotel need to get their boarding passes and pass the passport control. ISG Airport Hotel features a Health Club with several fitness equipment, massage rooms, sauna, and experienced personnel. Transit passengers staying at the hotel can relax by special massages at their own room. For business world, ISG Airport Hotel welcomes businesses for lunches and dinners, as well as for meeting reasons. The hotel has 5 meeting rooms at different sizes. n

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Focus On AIRLINES

Turkish Airlines Raises Number of Passengers Turkish Airlines (THY) released a statement and said the number of its passengers was up by 11 percent in 2009 over 2008. The company carried 25.1 million passengers in 2009. This figure was only 22.6 million in 2008. Also, the number of business class and transit passengers in international lines was up 6.2 and 43.4 percent respectively in 2009 over 2008. The cargo and mail service of the THY was also up by 19.6 percent and reached from 198,837 tons to 237,783 tons in 2009 over 2008.

Founded in 1933, THY made its first international flight to Athens, Greece. Turkey’s national air carrier has recently announced that it had placed a firm order for 14 Airbus A321-200 and 6 Airbus A319100 passenger planes as well as an optional order for the purchase of 10 Airbus A319/A321s. THY is one of the fastest growing carriers in Europe. The Istanbul-based airline is using Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport as a hub for flights to Europe, Asia and Africa in partnership with the Star Alliance group of airlines. n

Turkish Airlines Decides to Acquire New Aircrafts Turkish Airlines to buy 30 Airbus 320 family planes, 20 jets definite and 10 jets are with options.

The Board of Directors of Turkish Airlines, Turkey’s flag carrier, said that it will buy 30 airplanes from Airbus, 20 of them definite and 10 of them optional, as part of its fleet-expansion plan of 105 new aircraft that was announced previously. According to the decision of the Board Directors, 14 jets of A321-200 jets and 6 jets of A319-100 will be purchased. The new aircraft will be delivered to Turkish Airlines in the years of 2011-2012. The Board of Directors has also made a decision to place an order for purchase of 10 planes of A319/A321, all with options, to be procured in the year 2013. The number of single aisle jets in the fleet of Turkish Airlines will increase to 126 and the number of twin aisle aircraft will rise to 36 between 2010 and 2012 with the procurement of these new jets. The total number of aircraft in the fleet of Turkish Airlines will reach the total of 168 aircraft, 6 of them freight airplane, by the end of 2012. n

Turkish Airlines Launched first-class service between JFK and İstanbul Turkish Airlines has begun the industry’s only nonstop first-class service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport (IST). Exclusive airport services for first-class passengers include a dedicated private lounge and a check-in counter, and in Istanbul “meet and greet” from check-in to boarding.

The daily nonstop Boeing 777-300ER service features 312 seats in a three-class configuration - eight in First, 30 in Business and 274 in Economy -departing JFK every day (seven days a week) at 4:15PM, and arriving IST at 9:25AM the following morning. The return flight departs Istanbul at 10:30AM, arriving New York at 2:45PM that day. n

Turkish Airlines Starts direct flights to Dakar and Sao Paulo Turkey’s national air carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) will start direct flights to Senegal’s capital city Dakar and Brazilian city of Sao Paulo as of March 28. THY said Istanbul-Sao Paulo-Istanbul and Istanbul-DakarIstanbul direct flights will take place three times a week. The Istanbul - Dakar - Sao Paulo - Istanbul flights that started March 29, 2009 will be separated in the 2010 Summer Schedule. Istanbul will be connected to those two destinations with direct flights. Turkish Airlines passengers can fly direct Istanbul - Sao Paulo - Istanbul and Istanbul - Dakar Istanbul flights from 28 March 2010. n

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New Direct Flights of Pegasus Airlines In response to growing demand, Pegasus Airlines is launching new direct flights from the UK to the Turkish holiday destinations of Antalya, Bodrum and Dalaman, flying variously from London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester and Birmingham. All direct flights are available to book from 18 January on http://www.flypgs.com/ and to celebrate the new flights Pegasus is releasing 4,999 seats priced at £49.99 one-way, including taxes and charges. The holiday destinations of Bodrum on Turkey’s Aegean coastline and Dalaman and Antalya on the Turkish Riviera are more accessible than ever than with Pegasus’ new direct flights from London Gatwick and Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester airports.

During the summer season there will be direct flights to Dalaman every Monday and Friday from London (Gatwick) and Manchester airports and every Sunday from London (Gatwick). There will also be direct flights to Antalya every Sunday from Birmingham and Manchester airports; as well as a weekly direct flight to Bodrum from London Stansted on Sundays.

Pegasus Airlines is the perfect way to see more of Turkey for less. Not only can you now fly direct to Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman and Istanbul, but you can also connect easily to a further 18 destinations across Turkey via Istanbul - and, being outside the Euro-zone, Turkey also offers fantastic value and variety for holidaymakers. n

2009 was a Record Year for Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport The number of passengers flying via Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SGIA) increased 52% in 2009 compare to previous year. According to the announcement, a total of 6,639,958 passengers flew from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport compare to 4,358,710 passengers in 2008. SGIA CEO Gökhan Bugday said, “In 2008, we took over the management of the airport and we increased the service quality here with our investments”. Mr. Bugday added, “Sabiha Gökçen’s annual passenger capacity had risen to 20 million as the new international terminal building had started operations in October. We aim to serve over 10 million passengers with best service quality”.

Compare to 2008, flight traffic to domestic destinations in 2009 is increased by 63 percent to 4,547,673. Moreover flight traffic to international destinations recorded 33,4 growth and reached 2,092,285 passengers in 2009. In line with the rise in the number of passengers, the number of inward and outbound flights was also up by 35.5 percent compared with 2008, totaling 60,630. 38 percent of the passengers using Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport flew to Germany, 12% flew to UK and 9% flew to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. SGIA is operated by a multi-national consortium of Turkey’s Limak Holding (LİMAK), GMR Infrastructure (GMR) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad. n

HAVAS’ Additional Facilities at Antalya Airport Opens Havas, a subsidiary of TAV Airports Holding, has opened its additional facilities at the Antalya Airport. The new Antalya Station Center is situated on a land of 11,200 square meters. The Center is comprised of a repairs section, services section and administration offices. The Center also includes a large room for dining of employees, training rooms and meeting rooms. Havas provides all forms of ground handling services, including passenger services, ramp services, cargo and mail services, load control, communications and flight operation services. n

Qatar Airways to Fly Between Ankara and Doha Qatar Airways, flag carrier airline of Qatar, will launch flights between Turkish capital Ankara and Qatar’s capital Doha, the company announced. Flights will begin on April 5, 2010, and will be made four days a week on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Qatar Airways already operates daily flights to Istanbul from Doha. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the route expansion further demonstrated the airline’s long-term strategy to develop its international network. “With four-flights-a-week to Ankara, Qatar Airways will significantly increase capacity to Turkey. Our daily flights to Istanbul route have been performing exceptionally well and by adding another destination in this popular country for business and leisure travellers, we look forward to facilitating traffic to and from Turkey,” Al Baker said. Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 75 aircraft to 85 diverse business and leisure cities across Europe, Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Far East, North America and Australasia with plans to top 120 destinations worldwide by 2013. n

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Blu-express Starts Direct flights to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport Italy’s low-cost carrier; Blu-express has launched direct flights to Sabiha Gokcen Airport, Istanbul’s main airport on the Asian side of the city. Blu-express, the low-cost arm of the Blue Panorama Airlines, is scheduled to fly six times a week between Rome and Istanbul, the company’s commercial director George Michalopoulos told reporters in a press meeting. Michalopoulos said that today it is an important day for them not only they launch Istanbul flights but they also celebrate their 10th anniversary. Michalopoulos said, Turkish passengers can fly to far destinations that Blue Panorama Airlines flies such as; Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, Dominic Republic and Thailand.

Airep will be the representative of Blu-express and Blue Panorama Airlines in Turkey.

ISTANBUL SABİHA GÖKÇEN - ROME FIUMICINO Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: Departure from Istanbul 17.45 Arrive to Rome 18.55 Flight no: BV1789 Sunday: Departure from Istanbul 18.30 Arrive to Rome 19.40 Flight no: BV1789 ROMA FIUMICINO - ISTANBUL SABİHA GÖKÇEN Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: Depart from Rome 14.00 Arrive to Istanbul 17.20 Flight no: BV1788 Sunday: Depart from Rome 14.45 Arrive to Istanbul 18.05 Flight no: BV1788 Special prices for Blue Panorama’s 11th year anniversary: n

Aegean Airlines Launches 5 weekly flights on the Vienna-Athens Route A new carrier has landed at Vienna International Airport: on 10 December 2009 the Greek Aegean Airlines started flights on the Vienna-Athens route. Five-times per week (except on Tuesday and Saturday), the Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft will depart from Vienna at 8.45 pm and land in Athens at 00.10 am. The return flight from Athens is scheduled to depart at 5.55 pm and, after a two and a half hour flight, will land in Vienna at 7.20 pm. “We are pleased to welcome Aegean Airlines to Vienna International Airport. This additional direct connection to Athens will increase the offering at our airport”, commented Herbert Kaufmann, Speaker of the Management Board of Flughafen Wien AG. The Greek carrier Aegean Airlines was founded in 1999. Its route network currently covers 50 domestic and international destinations. In 2008 the airline carried a total of six million passengers. n

Etihad Receives European Certification for Its MRO Capabilities Etihad Airways could soon be carrying out aircraft line maintenance work on behalf of other major European airlines, following a successful recent audit of its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities. The national airline of the United Arab Emirates has been awarded EASA Part 145 certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), following a comprehensive audit by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA).

The approval effectively means that Etihad Airways’ Technical division is now fully accredited to provide line maintenance services on Airbus A319, A320, A330, A340 and Boeing B777 aircraft types for all European carriers. Werner Rothenbaecher, Etihad Airways’ executive vice president Technical, said: “This is an important step forward in the airline’s MRO capabilities and represents the culmination of a lot of hard work by the airline’s Technical and Quality Assurance teams. Receiving this important certificate effectively validates our technical capabilities and means we can expand our MRO services to handle other major European carriers, both at our Abu Dhabi hub and also at our satellite bases overseas.” To obtain the certification, Etihad had to submit a ‘Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE), supported by a fully documented set of processes and procedures. EASA is an agency of the European Union (EU) with responsibility for specific regulatory and executive tasks in the field of civilian aviation safety. Its work centres on ensuring the highest levels of civil aviation safety, through certification of aviation products, approval of organisations to provide aviation services, and the development and implementation of a standardised European regulatory framework. n

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ANA and Etihad Airways to Start Code-sharing ANA has applied to the Japanese government for regulatory approval to enter into a new codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (hereinafter referred to as “Etihad”), starting from March 1, 2010. The increase in cooperation between the two airlines aims to provide greater travel options and convenience for passengers traveling between Japan and UAE. Under the deal, ANA will place its two-letter ‘NH’ code on the four weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Nagoya due to be operated by Etihad Airways from February 1, 2010. In turn, Etihad will place its ‘EY’ code on ANA operated flight between Nagoya and both Sapporo and Fukuoka. The code-share agreement will be extended from March 28, 2010 to cover domestic services operated by ANA between Narita and Osaka Itami. This has been timed to coincide with the launch by Etihad of its second new Japanese service between Abu Dhabi and Narita, the first direct service connecting the capital cities of both countries. At this time ANA will place its two-letter ‘NH’ code on the Abu Dhabi Narita services. The increased cooperation between the two airlines will also extend to their respective frequent flyer programs (FFP).From March 1, 2010, members of both ANA Mileage Club and the Etihad Guest program will be able to accrue and redeem miles on flights on each other’s networks. Etihad’s home base of Abu Dhabi possesses rich energy resources and is already developing strong links with Japan in the fields of energy and the environment. The Emirate is also an increasingly important centre for culture and sport, with new museums such as the Louvre and Guggenheim set to open in the next few years and the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix now a fixture in the annual Grand Prix race calendar. Less than one hour away from Dubai, and with easy access to the rest of the UAE, Abu Dhabi is also ideally located. With its diversified economy and favorable geographic location, significant expansion in tourism and business within Abu Dhabi is expected in the coming years. n

Emirates Takes Delivery of sixth A380 Forging ahead with the airline’s immense fleet expansion Emirates has taken delivery of its sixth Airbus A380 aircraft.

The colossal aircraft landed in Dubai late night on December 12 after travelling from the Jürgen Thomas Delivery Centre in Hamburg, Germany. The aircraft is currently being fitted with the airline’s service hallmarks at Emirates’ world class engineering facility, in preparation for entry into service. Taking delivery of this mammoth plane Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Executive Vice President Engineering and Operations said: “The delivery of our sixth A380 aircraft is testament to Emirates’ steadfast resilience amidst the global economic crisis. The A380 offers us the ability to support our operational needs and meet passenger demand, an important factor with international load levels looking positive over the next few months.” “We remain resolute in our expansion plans in terms of both fleet and destinations. In the last four weeks alone Emirates has announced plans to start services to Tokyo and Amsterdam in 2010 and has also taken delivery of three new aircraft including two Boeing 777-300ER, in addition to today’s Airbus A380.”

Serving six far reaching destinations including; Sydney, Auckland, Bangkok, Toronto, Heathrow and from tomorrow Seoul, Emirates’ A380 aircraft provide a greener option for long haul travel through substantial reductions in noise, emissions and fuel burn. From 29th December Emirates will also commence an A380 service to Paris, with the carrier’s seventh A380 aircraft due for delivery later this month. Designed to provide customers with the greatest travel comforts on long-range journeys, the Emirates’ A380 - with 14 First Class Private Suites, 76 Business Class and 399 Economy seats - represents the latest innovation and technology from a company recognized internationally for its in-flight amenities and services. Unique to the Emirates aircraft are its Shower Spas - two fully-equipped bathrooms in the First Class cabins with shower facilities.

Emirates A380’s ground-breaking in-flight product also features an Onboard Lounge for First and Business Class passengers which includes a bar with a wide range of beverages and canapés as well as an exclusive space to socialise or simply relax.

Spread over two levels, the whole of the A380 upper deck is dedicated to premium passengers. Towards the front, First Class passengers can relax in one of 14 flat-bed, massage-equipped Private Suites. These incorporate remote-controlled doors, a work desk, an electrically controlled mini-bar and the most advanced in-flight entertainment system available to travellers. The main deck is dedicated to Economy class passengers and is fitted with comfortable seating as well as seat back individual 12 inch LCD screens, offering passengers a wide range of in-flight entertainment. The arrival of sixth Airbus A380 brings Emirates’ all-wide bodied passenger fleet to 142 aircraft. Emirates operates services to 101 cities spanning 62 countries on six continents. n

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Air Arabia’s Adel Ali named ‘Airline CEO of the Year’ The Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia has been named “Airline CEO of the Year” by Aviation Business magazine, the leading industry title in the Middle East. Adel Ali received this accolade, which recognised him as the region’s top airline executive, at the Aviation Business Awards 2009. This award follows a string of similar regional and international honours, including World LCC “CEO of the Year 2008” at Budgie Awards in London, UK, which also Air Arabia was named “Best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East and Africa.” “On behalf of everyone at Air Arabia, I am honoured to accept this prestigious award,” said Ali, “and share this mark of recognition with our employees across the Middle East and North Africa region who work so hard to make Air Arabia a success. I would also like to offer my gratitude to the more than three million passengers who have chosen to travel with Air Arabia this year alone, and who continue to inspire us to offer the most reliable value-formoney air travel options in the wider region.” This year has seen several accolades for Air Arabia strong performance during a challenging period for the global aviation sector. Air Arabia also named 2009 World Airline Award for “Best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East” for the third consecutive year by Skytrax Research based on global, independent passenger surveys of airline standards. Most recently, Air Arabia was named “Low-Cost Carrier of the Year” by both the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) at the Aviation Outlook Asia 2009 congress in Beijing and at the Doha Aviation Summit 2009. The Aviation Business Award recognise companies, organisations and individuals that have achieved excellence in the sector in the Middle East. The awards are organised annually by Aviation Business, the leading source of information for airline, airport and government officials. n

Lufthansa Introduces North America Special Fares Lufthansa announced special fares to selected North American destinations with special round-trip fares. The travellers should travel between 16 January and 30 June 2010. Ticketing should be finalized by February 2, 2010. Special Fares are starting from; Atlanta: €528.- Boston and Chicago: €558.- Denver: €688.Las Vegas: €718.Los Angeles: €604.- Orlando: €578.- Mexico City: €742.- Miami: €530.- New Orleans: €633.- New York: €506.Philadelphia and San Diego: €598.- Seattle and San Francisco: €653.- Tampa: €664.- Washington: €595.Montreal: €540.- Vancouver: €575.- Toronto: €542.- n

Easyjet Increases Number of Routes to Turkey The EasyJet, one of Europe’s airline companies offering its passengers cheap flights, increased number of its destinations in Turkey to eight. The EasyJet Airlines said in a statement that it would commence direct flights between London’s Gatwick Airport and Antalya International Airport on May 30, 2010. The Gatwick-Antalya flights will take place three times a week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Seats are on sale from January 21 which fares from 38.99 euro. The other routes of the EasyJet to Turkey are London Gatwick-Istanbul, London Luton-Istanbul, London Stansted-Bodrum, London Stansted-Dalaman, Bristol-Bodrum, Liverpool-Bodrum and Basel-Istanbul. Established in 1995, the EasyJet is a British airline company operating domestic and international scheduled services on nearly 500 routes between 104 European and North African airports. The airline primarily offers low cost point to point services but sometimes operates full service charter flights on behalf of other companies. The company served more than 46 million passengers last year. n

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Denizaşırı Uçuşlarda

D

Etihad Business Class

enizaşırı uçuşlarda havayolu kuruluşlarında Business Class’ larının tanıtımına bu sayımızda Etihad Havayolları ile devam ediyoruz.

Etihad yeni bir havayolu kuruluşu. İstanbul ofislerini de geçen Haziran ayında açtılar.

Abu Dhabi merkezli Etihad için İstanbul çıkışlı uzun uçuşlar doğal olarak Abu Dhabi aktarmalı gerçekleşiyor.

Kasım ayı ortasında Nepal’in başkenti Kathmandu’da gerçekleşen Natta Himalaya Travel Mart için yaptığımız yolculuğumuz Etihad Havayolları ile gerçekleşti. Ancak gidişte Abu Dhabi de konaklamamız gerektiğinden uçuşumuzu Delhi ye kadar Etihad ile gerçekleştirdik. Delhi - Kathmandu arasını ise bir başka havayolu ile yaptık. Dönüşümüzde ise tüm yolculuğumuz Etihad ile gerçekleşti.

Daha önce de tüm diğer havayolları için yaptığımız testlerde olduğu gibi bu testimiz de sadece bir yönü kapsayacak şekilde kaleme alındı ancak dönüş yolundaki önemli farklılıklar gerektiğinde yazımıza yansıyacaktır.

Uçuş Destinasyonu: İstanbul-Abu Dhabi-Delhi İstanbul- Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi - Delhi

Uçuş no: EY 96

Uçuş no: EY 218

Uçak tipi: A320-200

Uçak tipi: A320-200

Boarding zamanı: 13.00

Boarding zamanı:02.05

Boarding başlangıcı: 13.00

Boarding başlangıcı: 02.00

Uçuş saati: 13.45

Uçuş saati: 22.05

Kalkış saati: 13.35

Kalkış saati: 22.07

Take off:13.44

Take off: 22.12

Belirtilen uçuş süresi: 4 saat 10 dak.

Belirtilen uçuş süresi: 3 saat 55 dak.

Gerçekleşen uçuş süresi : 3 saat 53 dak.

Gerçekleşen uçuş süresi : 3 saat 05 dak.

Varış saati: + 19.55 (+ 2 saat)

Varış saati: 03.00 ( Ertesi gün)

Gerçekleşen varış saati: 19.37 (+ 2 saat)

Gerçekleşen varış saati: 02.40 (+ 1.5saat)

5

Check in: İstanbul Atatürk Havaalanına vardığımızda Etihad’ ın check in bankoları açılmıştı ve 5 dakikada İstanbul-Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi - Delhi uçuş kartlarımızı ve hem İstanbul hem de Abu Dhabi lounge kartlarımızı aldık. Bavulumuzu da Delhi’den sonra bir başka havayolu ile yapacağımız aktarma Kathmandu uçuşumuz için bagaj etiketimizi de ayrıca emin bir yerde sakladık.

Bu tip çok aktarmalı ve değişik havayolları ile yapılan uçuşlarda en büyük korkumuz bagajların geç gelmesi, daha da kötüsü kaybolmasıdır. Başımıza birkaç kez geldiği için bu bagaj etiketimizi çok iyi saklarız.

Kısa sürede biten Check in işlemlerimizin ardından Etihad’in anlaşmalı lounge servisinin görevli hanımın eskortluğunda pasaport kontroluna ve sonrasında lounga kadar ulaştık.

Bu arada dönüşte Abu Dhabi’deki check in mükemmelliğini de belirtmeliyim. Business Class ve First Class yolcuları Abu Dhabi de terminalin ayrı giriş kapısından bir görevli tarafından çok hoş bir şekilde karşılanıyor, bavullarınız ayrı bir görevli tarafından taşınıyor ve siz deri koltuklarda dilediğiniz içkinizi içerken uçuş kartınız ve bagaj işlemleriniz tamamlanıyor.

Ardından da ayrı pasaport kontrolunden geçerek iç salonlara geçiyorsunuz.

Yani Etihad’ın Abu Dhabi check in işlemleri bizden tam not aldı.

Dönüş yolculuğumuzdaki Kathmandu Tribhuvan havaalanında check in işlemleri de havaalanının fakirliği ve pisliğine rağmen gayet düzenli idi.

Not:

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4

Lounge:

Etihad İstanbul’da Akbank’ın lounge’unu kullanıyor.

Bu bankanın lounge hizmeti de bankacılık servislerinden genelde pek farklı değil. Etihad İstanbul’da bir başka lounge ile ayrıcalığını göstermeli.

Keza Abu Dhabi’de de gidiş lounge u gayet iyi ama dönüşte kullandığımız lounge hem yer hem de servis bakımından yetersiz. Abu Dhabi’deki bu iki lounge arasında F/B de bir fark yok. Yiyecek ve içecekler zengin. Business Center bölümü iyi. Wi-fi internet kuvvetli. Ama havaalanının eski terminaline parelel olarak lounge in da yenilenmesi gerek.

Etihad’ın Kathmandu da kullandığı lounge’u bu alana inen diğer havayolları da kullanıyor. Kathmandu Tribhuvan hava alanının o kadar fakirliğine ve eskiliğine karşılık bu lounge inanılmayacak kadar temiz, modern, geniş, ferah ve servis zenginliğine sahip. Şaşırdık.

4

Not: Ucak içi :

5

İstanbul-Abu Dhabi-İstanbul ve Abu Dhabi-Delhi hatlarında A320-200 uçak ile uçtuk. Yeni koltuklar, ferah kabin ve 2-2 ve 5 sıradan oluşan 20 koltuk kapasiteli. Ortalama 4 saatlik bir uçuş için koltuk yatışı ve rahatlığı yeterli. Yolculara dağıtılan Business Class çantaları çok rahatlıkla Nişantaşı sokaklarında kullanabilirsiniz. O denli şık, kaliteli ve güzel dizaynlı.

Hem hanım, hem de erkek yolculara uçuş süresinde gerekli sıhhi malzemeleri içeriyor.

Kathmandu - Abu Dhabi hattında ise yepyeni A330200 uçakları kullanılıyor. Bu uçuşta çorap ve gözler için uyku bantı dağıtılıyor. Koltuklar kendine özgü kabinli ve 180 dereceye yakın yatıyor. Birçok havayolu bu masaj da yapan koltukları First Class da kullanıyor.

Kabin içi yine ferah ve 1-2-1 düzeninde ve 26 koltuk kapasiteli. Aydınlatma mükemmel. Kişisel okuma ışığı da uçağın yeni üretim olduğunu gösteriyor. Kendi özel ekranınızdan videonuzu seyredebiliyorsunuz.

Kabin ekibi mükemmel.Yolcu ile tek tek ilgililer ve isimlerimizi de söyleyerek hitap tarzları daha da yakınlık duymamızı sağlıyor. İstanbul-Abu Dhabi kabin şefi Ferzan hanım ı da mükemmel hizmet anlayışı nedeniyle ayrıca not edip, kendisini tebrik ettik.

5

Not: Uçuş Animasyonları:

5

Etihad’ın uçak içi eğlence servisleri de çok zengin. İstanbul-Abu Dhabi arasında çok sayıda Arapça, İngilizce ve Türkçe gazeteler, farklı ilgi alanlarına dönük magazinler ekranınızda filmler başlayana kadar sizi meşgul ediyor.

Bu yılın vizyon filmlerinden dikkatle seçilmiş video filmleri, müzik kanalları ve video oyunları, yolculuğunuzu zaman ne çabuk geçti dedirtecek kadar kısaltıyor.

Ancak ben burada bir zorluk yaşadım. Hem gidişte hem dönüşte ancak birer film biterebildim.! Hele Kathmandu dönüş yolunda A330-200 nin bir oda rahatlığındaki masajlı koltuklarında, üstelik uçağın Sonoma rezervlerinin de çok yeterli olduğunu anlayınca seyrettiğim Morgan Freeman’ın The Code adlı 2009 yapımı yeni filmini bitiremedim!! Şaka bir yana iyi uçak, iyi servis, iyi ikram yolculuğun süresini kısaltıyor. Etihad da bu özellikleri ile bize Kasım ayındaki bu uzun yolculuğumuzda bize zamanı unutturdu.

Not: 36

5

NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

Focus On AIRLINE TEST

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Yeme & İçme : Etihad’ın F&B de kalite farkı daha ilk hoş geldin servisi ile kendini gösteriyor. Bu servisde köpüklü şarap, portakal suyu, bazılarında da elma suyu ve su seçenekleri alışagelmiş çeşitlerdir. Hoş geldin içkileri arasında genelde pek servis edilemeyen tercihim mango suyunu da görünce sempatim arttı. Yemek öncesi dağıtılan menüde alkollü ve alkolsüz içkilerdeki çeşit zenginliğini ve yemekler ile sunulan şarap ve şampanyaların da Kaliforniya, Fransa ve Yeni Zelanda’dan özel kavlardan seçilmiş olduğunu görünce ayrıca keyiflendim. Hele bunlar arasında 2007 yılında ABD - Pow Wow fuarı sırasında Sonoma wine fam turunda gezme şansını yakaladığım Gloria Ferrer wine yard ürünü ‘’ Etesian ‘’ Pino Noir 2006 ı da olunca hemen peçetemi boynuma dolayıp önüme konacak lezzetleri beklemeye başladım. İstanbul-Abu Dhabi uçuşunda yemek seçenekleri Türk meze tabağı, imam bayıldı gibi Türk ağız tadına uygun çeşitlerdi. Abu Dhabi-Delhi hattında ise Arap ve Hint lezzetleri ile tanıştık. Dönüşte de Hint ve Arap yemekleri bol alternatif seçenekleri ile sunuldu.

Tüm uçuşlarda iki alternatifli açılış ve ardından 4 alternatifli ana yemek sunuldu. Tatlı, meyve ve zengin çeşitli peynir tabağı, çok çeşitli bitki çayları ve içinde filtre kahve, espresso ve cappuccino nun da bulunduğu bol seçenekli kahve ikramı, çeşitli brandy, konyak ve digestifler de Etihad’ın olağan ikramları arasındaydı. Ama son sürpriz servis de Macadamia findıklı çeşidi de olan Hagen Dazs dondurmaydı.

Etihad’ın F&B i size 4 saatlik uçuşlarda bile lezzetler şöleni sunuyor.

5

Not: Varış:

5

Havaalanlarına varışlarımız yukarıda yazdığımız zaman dilimleri arasında da görüleceği gibi hep erken gerçekleşti.

Bavullarımızın konveyöre geliş zamanlamasını gidişte son ayağı başka havayolu kullandığımız için ölçemedik. Ama İstanbul hava alanında yetersiz hizmet anlayışı nedeniyle first de uçsanız değişen bir şey olmayacaktır ve bunun havayolu ile ilgisinin de olmadığını biliyoruz.

Pasaport kontrolünde Abu Dhabi de ‘’ Fast Track ‘’ geçiş önceliği var ve bavullarınız da konveyöre öncelikli geliyor.

Yabancı havayollarının pasaport kontrolünde ‘’ Fast Track ‘’ için Atatürk Hava Alanı Emniyet bölümünü zorlamalarında yarar var. Bavul gelişi ile fazlaca bir ümidimiz yok. Bavulun kaybolmaması ya da kırılıp içindekilerin çalınmasının önüne geçilmiş olması bile eski bir mağdur olarak bize yeterli.

Business ve First Class yolcularının aktarmalı uçuşlarda Abu Dhabi de 1 gece konaklamaları gerekiyorsa Etihad sizi ücretsiz limuzin ile 5 yıldızlı otelinize götürüp getiriyor. Dönüşümüzde biz de bu servis lüksünü kullanarak Yas Island da yeni açılan Park Inn Abu Dhabi otelinin suite odasında çok rahat ve güzel bir gece geçirdik

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Not: Sonuç

Türkiye’de Haziran’09 dan buyana hizmet vermeye başlayan Etihad Havayolları, İstanbul çıkışlı özellikle Uzakdoğu ve Avustralya destinasyonlarında yeni ve farklı Etihad Business Class’ı ile kısa sürede adından daha sık söz ettireceğine inanıyoruz.

Etihad ile bazı Uzakdoğu Destiansyonların Business Class Fiyatları EURO BANGKOG

1750

SYDNEY

2495

MELBOURNE

2485

BRISBANE

2495

TOKYO

2415

NAGOYA

2415

BEIJING

2135

MANILA

1935

KUALA LUMPUR

1945

COLOMBO

1465

JAKARTA

1935

Tüm ücretlere yakıt harcı , alan vergileri ve hizmet bedelleri dahildir.

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Destinasyon NEPAL

Dünya’nın Çatısı

Mistik Nepal

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Destinasyon NEPAL

K

asım ayının son haftası Nepal Seyahat Acentaları Birliğinin daveti üzerine Kathmandu’ya seyahat ettim. Nepal’li turizmciler bu yıl 3.sunu gerçekleştirdikleri Himalaya Travel Mart ile birlikte hemen öncesinde UFTAA genel kurulunu da organize ederek akıllıca bir is yapmışlar.

Böylelikle hiç değilse yakın ülkeler dışında fazla ilginin olmadığı Himalaya Turizm fuarına daha fazla yabancı konuğu da getirtme olanağı yakalamışlar.

Nepal ilginç bir ülke.Yaklaşık 2.000 m yükseklikte ama tertemiz bir hava ve 28 c ısı. Kasım ayı sonunda gömlekle terliyorsunuz. Çok konuksever insanlar ama çok fakirler. Bir profesör maaşı 130 USD. Aylik100 USD çok iyi para. Yine yaklaşık 150 bin m2 lik bir yüzölçümü ve 25 milyon nüfus. Başkent Kathmandu 2.5 milyon ile en kalabalık şehir. Ülkede Incentive turizm şaşılacak derece ileride.

Trekking, dağcılık, kampçılık, yürüyüş turizmi, yamaç paraşütü, küçük uçak ve helikopterler ile Everest ve Himalaya seferleri…gibi tur ve atraksiyonlar mükemmel organize edilmiş.Bunu için resort tesisler, kamp merkezleri ve zirve meraklıları için tepelerdeki konaklama etaplarına dönük tesisler ve her zirveye kolay ulaşım için mini uçakların inebilecegi çok basit ama iş gören mini hava alanları ile ülke 1 milyon turist ağırlıyor. Nepallilerin en büyük gelir kaynakları da turizm. Net turizm gelirlerini veremiyorlar ama turizmin dışında bir de bölgenin keçilerinin yünü ile yapılan Pashmina adlı giysi ve aksesuarlar diğer gelir

kaynakları arasında.

Turizme çok ilgililer ancak fakirlik en büyük bel bükücü engelleri.Yol yok denecek kadar az.3-5 km yi bazen saatlerce bekleyerek geçebiliyorsunuz. Hava alanı ile şehir arası tam bir ızdırap.Bunun da farkındalar ama Dünya bankalarından ve yatırımcılardan yardım bekliyorlar.

Unesco’nun koruması altında çok sayıda tarihi zenginliğe ev sahipliği yapıyorlar.

Ama bu eserler tabir yerinde ise dökülüyor.

UNESCO Sultanahmet nedeniyle bize ‘’Tarihi Miras listesinden çıkararız’’ tehditlerini bir yana bırakıp önce Kathmandu ya sahip çıkmalı. Eğer Kathmandu UNESCO nun bu listesinde yer alıyorsa kimse kalkıp bizi tehdit edemez. Konu ile ilgili bizim yetkililerimizin de Kathmandu’ya gidip bize böyle tehditler savuran UNESCO’culara iyi yanıtlar verecekleri örnekleri görmelerini öneririz. Kathamnadu daki bakımsızlıktan sonra bize yapılan tehditler sadece haksızlıktır.

Himalaya Travel Mart barakalar altına hazırlanmış çok basit bir alanda, basit standlar ile, 2 gün turizmcilere son gün de halka açık olarak gerçekleşti.Fuardan çok bir panayır halinde gerçekleşen fuarda en ilginç izlenimimiz davetli buyerlar ile Nepalli turizmcilerin Hintli bir yatırımcının sahip olduğu bir Golf Tesisinde birebir görüşmeleri oldu.Bu profesyonelce hazırlanmış tek bir workshopdu .

Kathmandu da birkaç üst düzey otel dışında kalınabilecek fazla sayıda otel olmaması da turizmlerindeki en önemli engel..

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Destinasyon NEPAL

Dünyanın en büyük Budist tapınaklarından biri olan Stupa Kathmandu da görülecek yerlerin başında geliyor.

2500 yıllık, Nepal’in en eski Swayambunath Budist tapınağı ve meydanı

40

UFTAA ya gelince.Ne amaçla kurulduğunu neye hizmet ettiğini bir türlü anlamadığımız kısaca ülkelerin seyahat acentaları birliklerinin federasyonu olan bu kurulusun ilk kez katıldığımız yıllık kongresi bizce tam bir fiyasko idi. Himalaya Mart için Kathmandu da olduğumuzu bildirdiğimiz halde ne bir program bilgisi ne bir duyuru alamadık.

UFTAA nın üye sayısının Avrupa Birliği ülkelerinin kendi federasyonlarını kurmaları nedeniyle büyük oranda düştüğünü öğrendik.Avrupalı 84 ülke UFTAA dan ayrılmış. Bu kuruluşun başkanlığını da yapmış olan Nihat Boytüzün ve Kıbrıs’dan A.Necati Özkan da bu kongreye katıldılar.

Sonuç olarak Nepal liler 2011 yılını Nepal yılı ilan ederek daha fazla tanıtım, daha fazla yatırım ve daha fazla turist için uğraş veriyorlar.

NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

Destinasyon NEPAL

Kathmandu da 3 gun Kathmandu’ya ulaşım her geçen yıl giderek kolaylaşıyor.

Uzakdoğuya uçan hemen tüm havayolları Dünyanın çatısı diye tabir edilen Kathmandu Tribhuvan hava alanına iniyor.

Bu fakir havaalanı şehre 7 km uzaklıkta. Ancak inanılmaz trafik ile bu süre yoğun saatlerde 1 saati bile bulabiliyor. Şehir üç ana bölgeden oluşuyor. Merkez Thamel, Patan ve Bhaktapur bu bölgelerin adları.

Otelinize yerleştikten sonra ilk gün turunuza başlayabilirsiniz.

2500 yıllık, Nepal’in en eski Budist tapınağı ve meydanı Swayambunath Budist tapınağı, Bhaktapur (gizli şehir), Durbar meydanı Narayanthi Durbar Müzesini gezebilirsiniz.Bu turunuz içinde Unesco Dünya Kültür Mirası içinde bulunan Saray Meydanı, Hanuman Dhoka, Mahadev ve Parvati Tapınağı, Budist ve Hindular için asalet yeri Machhender Bahl ve Yaşayan Tanrıça Kumari’nin evi ziyaret edilebilir. Altın Kapısı, Teleju’nun göğü delen tapınağı, ve Yogendra Malla heykeli, eski çarşı ve dükkanlar, el oyması balkon ve doğramalar ilginizi çekecektir.

Akşam Nepal müzik ve dansları eşliğinde yerel yemeklerini tadabilmeniz için otel restoranlarını tavsiye ederiz. İkinci gününüzü Sabah erkenden kalkarak Everest’e uçak ya da helikopter turuna ayırmanızı öneririz. Yaklaşık 60 dakikalık bu turu uçak ile 130- 175 USD arasında bir fiyat ödeyerek yapabilirsiniz. Himalaya sıra dağları arasında 8.848m lik Everest zirvesinin de yer aldığı diğer 20 zirvenin yakınlarında uçup video ve fotoğraf çekebilirsiniz. Öğleden sonra yine Unesco Dünya Kültür Mirası arasında bulunan Boudhanath’ a gidebilirsiniz. Dünyanın en büyük Budist tapınaklarından biri olan Stupa ilginizi çekecektir. 5. yy.’da Kral Mana Deva, günahlarının kefareti olarak sekizgen zemin üzerine oturtulmuş ve dua tekerlekleri ile çevrelenmiş bu stupayı yaptırmıştır. Stupanın etrafında Buda’nın herşeyi gören gözleri bulunur. Üçüncü gününüzü Hinduların ölü yakma ayinleri için toplandığı Pashupathinath Tapınağına ayırabilirsiniz.

Pashupatinath en kutsal, en çok saygı duyulan Hindu ibadet yeridir. Shiva Tapınağı, Kutsal Bagmati Nehri’nin kenarlarında yer alır. Hindu olmayanların Tapınak içine girmesi yasak. Çevrede yapılacak bir yürüyüş ile farklı ve renkli gelenek ve kültürleri göerebilirsiniz. Öğleden sonra Patan Şehir gezisinde 9.yy.’dan kalma bir Newar şehrinin Saray Meydanı Bhaktapur/ Badgaon, Bhupendra Malla’nın Kraliyet Sarayı, pagoda tarzı Hindu tapınağı Nyatapole ve diğer tapınakları görebilirsiniz..

Mistizm Maharajilerden başlayarak tüm Kathmandu’da hemen hissedeceginiz bir duygu.

Nasıl Gidilir Istanbul’dan THY ile Delhi aktarmalı yada Etihad ile Abu Dhabi aktarmalı Kathmandu’ya ulaşmak mümkün.

Ayrıca Uzakdoğu’ya uçan Emirates, Gulf Air, Air Arabia gibi diğer havayollarının da Kathmandu uçuşları olduğunu belirtelim.

Nerede Kalınır Klasikleşen her keseye uygun otel bulabilirsiniz cümlemiz Kathmandu için de geçerli ancak bizim önerimiz Nepal’de 5 yıldızın tesislere çok kolay verildiğ izlenimini uyandırdı. Bu neden ile size gezebildiklerimiz arasından yalnızca 2 otel önerebileceğiz.

Soaltee Crowne Plaza Tel: +977 1 427 39 99 www.CrownePlaza.com Hyat Regency Kathmandu Tel: +977 1 449 1234 www.kathmandu.regency.hyatt.com NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

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Destinasyon KAVALA

Komşunun

Şirin Şehri

K

avala’nin 80 bin e yaklaşan bir nufusu var ve şehir içinde gezilecek görülecek yerler ve alışveriş olanakları çok fazla. Bir yeme içme cenneti. 4 gun boyunca inanılmaz lezzetler tattık. Şehir şarap, zeytinyağı ve balı ile ünlü. Bir de müthiş lezzetli kurabiyelerini unutmamalıyız.

Deniz mahsulleri hem mukemmel lezzetlerde ve hem de ülkemizdeki balık restoranlarına özel selamlar

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NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

Kavala

ilettirecek kadar ucuz sunuluyor.!! Aynı selamları içki fiyatlarını görünce de tekraralayıp durduk. !!

Istanbul’dan yaklaşık otobüsle 6-7 saatte ulaşılıyor. Özel arabayla bu süre daha da kısalacaktır. İpsala gümrüğünden sonra çok yeni ve düzgün bir otoban ile ulaşım keyifli. Bizim Metro Turizmin hergün bir kaç sefer yaptığı Selanik otobusleri ile cok rahat bir yolculuk yapıldığını da önceki tecrübelerimiz doğrultusunda yazalım.

Destinasyon KAVALA

New Focus’da Ege’nin karşı kıyısını sık sık yazıyoruz. Daha önce birkaç kez Yunan Adalarını ve iki kez de Alexandreapolis’i yani Dedeağaç’ı yazmıştık..

Bu kez Dedeağaç in biraz altında yer alan Kavala’yı sizlere tanıtacağız.

ulkenin ne kadar benzeştiginin bir göstergesiydi.

1922 yılındaki mübadele sırasında Türkiye’den bir çok Rum’un yerleştiği Kavala’da Trabzon’un Maçka ilçesinden gelen ve Maçka’nın o günkü Rumca adını devam ettiren Hortokopi köyünde bugün 400 Karadenizli yaşıyor.

Bunların arasında 98 yaşındaki Mihalis Efthimiadis bizi konuk eden Turizm müdürü Konstantinos ( Kostas ) Efthimiadis’in özbeöz amcası. Kalbi doğduğu yer olan Trabzon’da kalan Efthimiadis, 10-11 yaşında Kavala’ya gelmiş ve bir daha Türkiye’ye hiç gitmemiş. Trabzon’dan gelen 400 Rum’un yaşadığı köyde tek Trabzon doğumlu olan Efthimiadis’i uzun ömürler dileyerek bir nazar boncuğumuzu hediye ederek duygulandırdık.

Köydeki kahvenin duvarlarında kemençeler, Karadeniz haritası asılı duruyor. Kahvenin müdavimlerinden Ioannis Haldikidis ve Isaak Tilikidis kemençeyle Türkçe şarkılar da seslendiriyor. Kemence sesi ve Karadenizin ritmli muzigini dinlemek üzere Kavalaya gitmek İstanbullular için çok ilginç olacaktır.

Kavala Deniz ve yaz tatili turizminden kültür turizmine, doğa ve dalış turizminden inanç turizmine kadar çok sayıda turizm çeşidine ev sahipliği yapıyor. Şehirde her keseye göre konaklama olanağı bulmak mümkün. Tarihi turistik yöreler de ilginc. Antik şehir Filippi, geleneksel yerleşim yeri Panagia, Kavala Arkeoloji Müzesi bunların arasında ilk yazacaklarımız.

1879’da 3 bin tütün işçisi ile dönemin bölgedeki ilk grevinin yapıldığı Kavala, Osmanlı döneminde tütün deposu da olan ve bölgenin en büyük tütün fabrikasını bugün Tütün Müzesi’ne çevirmiş. Yakında yeni yerinde daha modern görünümü ile hizmet verecek müze mutlaka gezilmeli.

Kavalalı Mehmet Ali Paşa’nin evi, Mısır hükümeti tarafından renove edilen simdi lüx bir otel olan medrese ve imarethanesi, kalesi ve yakın yerlerdeki tarihi eserleri, yemyeşil ormanları ve plajlari ile ünlü Taşoz adası ve diger turizm çeşitlerinin keşfi icin, Kavala, mutlaka yaz aylarinda da tekrar gelinmesi gerekli bir destinasyon.

Kökeni Trabzon’un Maçka ilçesi olan Kavala Valiliginin Turizm müdürü Konstantinos ( Kostas ) Efthimiadis’in Kavala’da kaldığımız 4 gün boyunca sabahın köründen gecenin yarısına kadar bizlere gösterdiği yakınlık ve ilgi ile, bir Türk kadar rahat Türkce konuşan ve tercümanlığımızı da üstlenen Petro beyin her türlü isteğimiz için gösterdiği çabalar ve konukseverelik de iki

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Destinasyon KAVALA

Kavala’nın Hortokopi köyünde bugün yaşayan 400 Trabzon’lunun arasında 98 yaşındaki Mihalis Efthimiadis’e nazar boncuğumuzu mükemmel Türkcesiyle tercümanlığımızı üstlenen Petro bey aracılığıyla hediye ettik.

Trabzon’un Maçka ilçesi Kavalanın Hortokopi köyünde kemençe ve Karadeniz müziği ile yaşıyor.

Osmanlı döneminden kalan evler eski ihtişamı ile hala kullanılıyor.

Kavala’da Osmanlı İmparatorluğunun ünlü valisi Kavalalı Mehmet Ali Paşa’nin evi, enstitüsü ve simdi lüx bir otel olan medrese ve imarethanesi bulunuyor.

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Destinasyon KAVALA

Kavala Valisi Theodoros Kalyoncis

K

Tütün Müzesi-Osmanlı döneminin tütün deposu, sonra bölgenin en büyük tütün fabrikası ve bugün Tütün Müzesi.

avala Turkiye’den daha fazla Turk turist bekliyor. Bunun içinde basın mensublarına, turizm yazarlarına şehrini ve bölgelerini tanıtmak icin fam tripler düzenliyor. Mutlaka bu fam tripleri Türk turizm acentalari için de yapacaklardır. Kitlesel turizm icin bu gereklidir de.

Kavala’da düzenlenen workshop’da da değindik. Kavala’nın ve tabii ki Yunanistan’nın Türk turistler ile ilgili bizce tek bir sorunu var. Vize zorlukları. Evet Yunanistan bir Avrupa Birligi üyesi ve Schengen vize kurallarına uymak zorunda. Bu arada

Nasıl Gidilir Otobüsle İstanbul’dan 6-7 saatte ulaşılabiliyor. Özel arabayla bu süre 5 saate kadar düşüyor. Uçak ile de Atina – Kavala aktarması ile ulaşım mümkün.

Nerede Kalınır Turizm müdürü Konstantinos (Kostas) Efthimiadis’in da belirttiği gibi yüksek sezonda bile 20.-Euro yakadar yatak bulmak mümkün.

Lucy Hotel (5 Yıldız) Tel:+30 2510 242 830 www.lucyhotel.gr Imaret Hotel (Luxury ) Tel:+30 2510 620 151 www.imaret.gr

Kavala Turizm müdürü Konstantinos ( Kostas ) Efthimiadis

Yunanistanın Avrupa Birliği ülkeleri arasında yeşil pasaporta da Schengen vizesi isteyen iki ülkeden biri olduğunu da hatırlatalım. Bu vize kurallarını değiştirmek zor. Ancak iki komşu ülke yakınlaşan siyasi ilişkileri ve özel karsılıklı uygulamalar ile bu zorluğu azaltabilirler. ( Tek taraflı olarak yesil pasaporta da vize konabildiği gibi tek tarafli olarak bazı muafiyetler de sağlanabilir.!!)

Ayrıca yaz aylarında günü birlik girişlerin olduğu ozellikle gemi turlarında, bu esnekliğin sağlandığını ve Türk turistlere vizesiz Yunanistan giriş izni verildiğini de biliyoruz.

Konsolosluklar Türk turistler için biraz daha hosgörülü olabilirler. Yunanistan’ın bazen ancak 15 günlük Shengen vizesi verdiğini de biliyoruz. Vize bedeli de az değil. Bugün icin 140 Tl. (Aralık’09) Yunanistan Dışişlerinin ve Yunan Turizm Bakanlığının başta HATTA olmak üzere Yunan acentacıcıları, Otel Birlikleri ve turizmcileri tarafindan uyarılmasi gerekli.

Yunan dostlarımızın da elçilik ve konsolosluklarına yönelik olarak da Türklere verilecek vizeler konusunda daha esnek ve hoşgörülü olmalari doğrultusunda kişisel çabaları ve ricaları da fayda sağlayacaktir.

Son yıllarda her yıl yurtdışına çıkan 10 milyon kadar Türk turistten daha fazla pay almak isteyen Yunanistan, vize sorununu hafiflettiği ölçüde Türk turist sayısını da artıracaktır.

Yoksa kültürü,mutfağı, yaşam biçimleri, müziği dansı eğlence şekli….vd birçok özelliği neredeyse aynı olan bu iki ülke insanının birbirini ziyaret etmemesi düşünülemez.

Yunanlılar her fırsatta Türkiye’ye kolaylıkla gelirken Türkler neden Yunanistana daha fazla sayıda gitmesin? Bu turizm ilişkileri arttiği ölçüde Yunanistan ve Türkiye arasında yıllardır süregelen siyasi ilişkiler de gelişecektir.

NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

45

Focus On BÜLTEN

Net Holding Yeniden Yapılandı Yeniden yapılanan net Holding başkanı Besim Tibuk Çirağan Palace da düzenlediği basın toplantısında ‘’Dünya 2010 dan itibaren 5 yıl emeklilerin dönemi olacak. Amacımız onları Türkiye ye çekmek’’ dedi.

Bünyedeki şirketleri ile bilgiler veren Tibuk, Antalya da 2 terminal de de Duty Free açtıklarını yıllık 200 milyon USD satış yaptıklarını ve her yıl %20 artış beklediklerini Kıbrıs da Merit Otel ve casinoları ile 200 milyon USD yatırım yaptıklarını Merit Lefkosa yi da hizmete açtıklarını 5 yıl içinde tamamlanacağını planladıkları Bodrum Milas projesi ile real estate ve turizm geliri olarak toplam 3-4 milyar dolar gelir beklediklerini kaydetti. n

Pera’nın Yeni İş Oteli ‘Miapera Hotel’ Tarihi Pera’nın yeni yüzü Miapera Hotel, son teknolojiyle donatılmış toplantı salonlarıyla iş dünyasının her türlü ihtiyacına cevap vermeyi hedefliyor.

Miapera’da, ikisi 10’ar kişilik, biri 40 ve diğeri 100 kişilik olmak üzere, ileri teknoloji ile donatılmış 4 adet toplantı salonu bulunuyor.

Toplantı salonlarında bağımsız, sıcak-soğuk klima sistemi, yazı tahtası, bilgisayar, projeksiyon cihazı, CD kayıt cihazı, dia projeksiyon, TV-VCD-DVD, fotokopi, video kayıt, kablolu-kablosuz mikrofon, masa mikrofonu, yaka mikrofonu, sinema kalitesinde ses düzeni, konuşma kürsüsü, tepegöz, taze hava sistemi ve 24 saat teknik ekip desteği mevcut. 100 kişilik çok amaçlı toplantı salonunun bulunduğu alanda; kalabalık iş davetleri, seminerler ve konferanslara yönelik geniş fuaye yer alıyor. Tüm salonlarda, kablosuz internet bağlantısı var.

19. yüzyıl Fransız mimarisinin zarafetini taşıyan binasında Miapera Hotel’in Caladdo Restaurant’ının özel tariflerle hazırlanmış zengin mönüsü, Türk ve dünya mutfaklarını biraraya getiriyor. Caladdo Restaurant içinde yer alan Caladdo Bar ise, şarap ve kokteylleri ile ön plana çıkıyor..

Odalar, ‘etnik minimalist’ tarzda Miapera’da, her biri ‘etnik minimalist’ tarzda dekore edilmiş, Superior, Deluxe ve Duplex Suite odalar bulunuyor. Superıor Odalar; etnik - minimalist tarzda, çikolata kahve ve mavi doğal renklerle dekore edilmiş. Odalar, cadde ve bahçe manzaralı.. Aynı zamanda, odaların çoğunda ayrı giyinme odası ve iş amaçlı seyahat eden misafirlerimiz için çalışma masası var. Dublex Suıte Odalar; 4 dublex suite, özellikle aileler için uygun. Dublex odalar, iki katlı ve her katta ayrı banyo bulunmakta. Oda servisi, 7 gün 24 saat hizmet veriyor. n

Türkiye, Mısır, Fas ve Tunus’a dikkat Dünyada 2009’da turizmin tek büyüdüğü bölge, yüzde 5’lik artışla Afrika kıtası olurken, Avrupa ve Orta Doğu’da 2008’e göre geçen yıl yüzde 6’lık düşüş görüldü. Dünya Turizm Örgütü pazar araştırmaları sorumlusu John Kester, Akdeniz havzasındaki ülkelerin önemli payına dikkati çekerken, Fransa, İspanya ve İtalya’nın diğer ülkelere nazaran büyük farkla pazarın hakimleri olarak öne çıktığını söyledi.

Türkiye, Mısır, Tunus ve Fas gibi ülkelerin özellikle “iyi fiyat ve promosyonlarla” pazarda büyüyen ülkeler haline geldiğini belirten Kester, “Yine de Türkiye, Tunus, Mısır, Fas’ın toplam turist sayısı İspanya’yı geçebilmiş değil” diye konuştu.

Bu arada, 2003 yılından bu yana ilk defa dünyadaki turist sayısında önceki yılların rakamlarına dönülürken, uzmanlar 2010 için umut taşıyor. 2010 için iyimser beklenti 2010’un nasıl geçeceğiyle ilgili yöneltilen sorulara sektör uzmanlarının yüzde 62’si “iyi ya da daha iyi”, yüzde 32’si “2009 gibi”, yüzde 7’si ise “daha kötü” cevabını verdi. 2010’da 2009’a göre yüzde 1 ila 3 arasında artış öngören Dünya Turizm Örgütü, işsizlik, Avrupa ve ABD’deki ekonomik büyümenin durumu, kamu açığı büyüyen ülkelerin olası vergi artışı, H1N1 virüsünde gelişme ve güvenlik sorunlarını, 2010 yılında turizm sektörünü olumsuz etkileyebilecek riskler olarak görüyor. n

46

NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

th th 14 14 Edition Edition “Effective “Effectivesummit summit 11-14 11-14 February for forthe thetourism tourismsector” sector” February 2010 2010 TÜYAP TÜYAP “The “The Fastest Fastest Growing Growing Tourism Tourism Exhibition Exhibition Beylikdüzü Beylikdüzü in in thethe Region” Region” İSTANBUL İSTANBUL

EASTEAST MEDITERRANEAN MEDITERRANEAN INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TRAVEL & TOURISM & TOURISM EXIBITION EXIBITION

w w w .we.m em i t it ti tsitsatna bn ub lu. cl .oc m om 1010 halls, halls, 55,000 55,000 sqm. sqm. stand stand area, area, more more than than 3,500 3,500 exhibitors exhibitors from from over over 6060 countries. countries. organiser organiser

officialofficial partners partners

THIS EXHIBITION THIS EXHIBITION IS BEING IS BEING ORGANISED ORGANISED

BY THE BYAUTHORIZATION THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE OFUNION THE UNION OF CHAMBERS OF CHAMBERS AND COMMODITY AND COMMODITY EXCAHGES EXCAHGES OF TURKEY OF TURKEY UNDER UNDER THE LAW THE #5174 LAW #5174

Focus On BÜLTEN

Türkiye’deki Yataklar Ortalama 13 Yaşında Turizm Yatırımcıları Derneği (TYD) 1980’li yıllardan 2008 yılına kadar Türkiye’nin turistik yatak profilini çıkardı. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı verilerine göre, 2008 sonu itibariyle uluslararası standartlara sahip işletme belgeli yatak kapasitemizin 567 bin olduğunu bildiren TYD, yatırım belgeli 40 bin civarında yatağın da fiilen işletmede olduğunun tahmin edildiğini vurguladı.

Araştırmasının sonucunda “Türk Turizminde Büyüme Eğilimi Doğrultusunda Yatak Kapasitemizin Son Durumu” başlığı altında bir rapor yayınlanan TYD, 2008 yılı sonu itibariyle konaklama kapasitemizi oluşturan 567 bin yatağın ortalama yaşının 13 olduğunu açıkladı.

Türk turizminde büyüme eğilimi ve vergisel oranları da 10 yıllık zaman dilimleri halinde irdeleyen TYD’nin raporu ile; ‘’Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı verilerine göre, 2008 sonu itibariyle uluslararası standartlara sahip işletme belgeli yatak kapasitemiz 567.000 ‘dir. Ayrıca yatırım belgeli 40.000 civarında yatağın da fiilen işletmede olduğu tahmin edilmektedir.

Konaklama sektöründeki yatak kapasitemizin yaş dağılımını saptamak amacıyla, işletme belgesi olan yatak sayısını baz alarak yıllara göre dağılımını inceledik. Bunun için 5 yıllık dönemler itibariyle 2008’den geriye doğru gittik.

Bilindiği üzere, 1983 yılına kadar olan dönem Türk turizminin emekleme çağıdır. Turist sayısı ve turizm gelirinin düşüklüğü, turizm yatırımlarının da düşük seyretmesine neden olmuştur. 1980-85 yılları arasında Türk turizminin hukuki ve ekonomik altyapısını oluşturarak geleceğini belirleyen, yatırımları hızlandıran, dünya ile entagrasyonunu sağlayan üç önemli karar alınmıştır. 1980 tarihli “Turizmi Teşvik Çerçeve Kararı”, 1982’de çıkartılan 2634 sayılı “Turizmi Teşvik Kanunu” ve 1985 yılında turizmin “kalkınmada özel önem taşıyan sektör” kapsamına alınması, turizm yatırımlarında, etkileri 1990’ların ortasına kadar devam eden bir hızlanmaya neden olmuştur. Yatırımcılarımıza sağlanan destekler ile, 1984-1988 yılları arasında 56.000, 1989-1993 yılları arasında da 113.000 yeni yatak inşa edilmiştir.

Sektöre sağlanan desteklerin yavaşlaması, ekonomimizde yaşanan 1994 döviz krizi ve daha sonra Asya ve Rusya’da görülen ekonomik krizler 1994-1998 yılları arasında yatırım eğiliminin düşmesine neden olmuştur.

1999 yılındaki deprem felaketinin sonrasında Türk turizminin yakaladığı yatırım ivmesi tekrar hareketlenmiştir. Burada Türkiye’de turizmin geleceğine duyulan güven kilit rol oynamaktadır. Diğer sektörlerde elde edilen sermaye, turizm sektörüne yönelmiş ve bugün de devam etmektedir. 1999-2003 yılları arasında 107.000, 2004-2008 yılları arasında ise 146.000 yeni yatak sisteme girmiştir. Konaklama kapasitemizin % 44,7’si 1999-2008 yılları arasındaki 10 yıl içinde inşa edilmiştir. 2008 sonu itibariyle konaklama kapasitemizi oluşturan 567.000 yatağımızın ortalama yaşı ise 13’tür. (*) (*) Ortalama yatak yaşı şöyle hesaplanmıştır: n % Pay

1983’e kadar

İşletme Belgesi Olan Yatak Sayısı 66.000

1984-1988

56.000

9,9

1989-1993

113.000

19,9

1994-1998

79.000

13,9

1999-2003

107.000

18,9

2004-2008

146.000

25,8

TOPLAM

567.000

11,6

100,0

(A) Dönem

(B) Sisteme Giren Yatak

Ortalama Yatak Yaşı

(A)x(B)

2004-2008

146.000

2,5

365.000

1999-2003

107.000

7,5

802.500

1994-1998

79.000

12,5

987.500

1989-1993

113.000

17,5

1.977.500

1984-1988

56.000

22,5

1.260.000

66.000

27,5

1.815.000

1983’e kadar

567.000

Kriz ile Dünya Turizmi %4.3 Turist % 6 Gelir Kaybetti Dünya Turizm Örgütü Genel Sekreteri Taleb Rifai, “Küresel ekonomik kriz ve H1N1 virüsü salgını, turizm sektörünün 2009’da en zor dönemlerinden birini geçirmesine neden oldu” dedi.

Dünya genelinde geçen yıl turist sayısının bir önceki yıla göre yüzde 4,3, turizm gelirinin ise yüzde 6 oranlarında düştüğü bildirildi.

Merkezi İspanya’nın başkenti Madrid’de bulunan Dünya Turizm Örgütü (UNWTO)’dan yapılan açıklamaya göre, 2008’deki 920 milyon turiste karşılık, 2009 yılında 880 milyon kişi seyahat etti. Dünya Turizm Örgütü Genel Sekreteri Taleb Rifai, “Küresel ekonomik Dünya genelinde geçen yıl turist sayısının bir önceki yıla göre yüzde 4,3, turizm gelirinin ise yüzde 6 oranlarında düştüğü bildirildi.

Merkezi İspanya’nın başkenti Madrid’de bulunan Dünya Turizm Örgütü (UNWTO)’dan yapılan açıklamaya göre, 2008’deki 920 milyon turiste karşılık, 2009 yılında 880 milyon kişi seyahat etti. Dünya Turizm Örgütü Genel Sekreteri Taleb Rifai, “Küresel ekonomik kriz ve H1N1 virüsü salgını, turizm sektörünün 2009’da en zor dönemlerinden birini geçirmesine neden oldu” dedi. n

48

NewFocus Jan./Feb.’2010

TUR - Goteburg MAP - Paris MITT - Moscow

• Suat Kantacio¤lu Ankara Radisson SAS as F&B müdürü oldu.

•• •• •• •• •• •• ••

Haber ve ve reklamlar›n›z›n reklamlar›n›z›n Haber yay›n› için için son son gün gün 22.fiubat.2008 22.fiubat.2008 yay›n›

Ücretsiz abone abone olun olun Ücretsiz Focus on on Travel Travel News News Art›k Art›k Hergun Hergun Bilgisayar›n›zda Bilgisayar›n›zda Focus www.ftnnews.com www.ftnnews.com

www.ftnnews.com www.ftnnews.com

2009 Turizm Pazarlaman›z için 2009 Turizm Pazarlaman›z için

January/February’08 January/February’08

New Online Travel Gazette Worldd Travel Travel GuiGuiddee && DiDiaary'ry'0099 for Russian Market Worl

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- Dünyadaki tüm turizm örgütlerinin -Adres, Dünyadaki örgütlerinin tel,fax,tüm webturizm ve e-mail adresleri.

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- Türkiye ile turizm olan - Türkiye ile turizm ilişkileri olan 50 ülkenin tüm turizm bilgileri 50 ülkenin tüm turizm bilgileri - 2009 yılında Dünyada gerçekleşecek - 2009 gerçekleşecek 1000yılında turizmDünyada etkinliğinin tarih ve 1000 başvuru turizm etkinliğinin adresleri…tarih ve www.rustourismnews.com başvuru gibi bilgileriadresleri… bulacağınız gibi bilgileri bulacağınız

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Tüm Arab Ülkeleri ve Türk Turizmi Tel:0216 391 3795 Tel:0216 391 3795 ozge@smpublication.com Arasında bir Köprü ozge@smpublication.com Kurduk Siparişleriniz için

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World Travel Guide & Diary’2010 All Information for your Travel Marketing & World Travel Exhibitions Calendar

Havayollar› Havayollar› Air France France ABD ABD uçufllar›nda uçufllar›nda promosyonlar promosyonlar uyguluyor. uyguluyor.

Air Pegasus Airline Airline yeni yeni bir bir Boeing Boeing 737-800 737-800 uu filosuna filosuna katt›. katt›.

Pegasus SunExpress ‹zmir ‹zmir -- Samsun Samsun uçufllar›na uçufllar›na bafllad›. bafllad›.

SunExpress Pegasus uçak içi promosyonlar› uyguluyor.

Pegasus uçak içi promosyonlar› uyguluyor.

American Airlines 2008 de ABD uçufllar›nda özel tarifeler uygulayacak.

American Airlines 2008 de ABD uçufllar›nda özel tarifeler uygulayacak.

Turkish Airlines Airlines Hatay Hatay ucuslari ucuslari basladi. basladi.

Turkish British Airways Airways Antalya-London Antalya-London ucufllar›na ucufllar›na bafll›yor. bafll›yor.

British

KISA KISA

Yöneticiler

Acentalar Acentalar

Transorient turizm kurucusu eski Tursab • Turizm Restaurant Yatırımcıları veTursab İşletmecileri Derneği (TURYİD), 6. Genel Transorient turizm kurucusu eski ba kanlarından Ferit Epikmen a abeyimizi

ba kanlarından Ferit Epikmen a abeyimizi Kurul toplantısı sonucunda başkanlığa Kasım ayı ba ında kaybettik.

Ailesi ve 5. kez Sunset Restaurant sahibi Kasım ayı ba ında kaybettik. Ailesi ve Turizm sektorümüzün ba › sa olsun.

Turizm sektorümüzün Barış Tansever seçildi. ba › sa olsun.

• OTI grub 2008 de 600 bin yabanci turist getirmeyi hedefliyor.

• OTI grub 2008 de 600 bin yabanci turist getirmeyi hedefliyor.

• Ergün Demiray Dedeman Istanbul yiyecek içecek müdürü olarak atandı.

• Bilge Kasirga Lykia Grubun pazarlama müdürü oldu.

Tesisler Tesisler • Polat Renaissance ‹stanbul IT Servislerini yeniledi.

• Renaissance Kamelya DaRoute Travel de yönetim direktörü oldu.

• Polat ‹stanbul ITYılmaz Servislerini yeniledi.

• Carlton otel arazisi sat›ld›.

•• Carlton otel arazisi sat›ld›.

Bentley otel yeni y›l› özel bir partiyle kutladi.

•• Bentley otel yeni y›l› özel bir partiyle kutladi.Istanbul Marriott Otel Asia nin yeni ‘’Executive Chef’’i.

• Fikret Özdemir Hilton otelleri erken rezervasyonlara özel iskontolar uygulayacak.

•• Hilton otelleri erkenTurob rezervasyonlara özelay›nda iskontolar uygulayacak.

Sheraton Istanbul üyelerini Kas›m ag›rlad›.

•• Sheraton Istanbul TurobYilmaz üyelerini Kas›mZeren ay›nda ag›rlad›.daDedeman • InterContinental Murat Otel & Kongre merkezi yiyecek Ceylan InterContinental ‹stanbul Brasserie Restaurant yeni tatlar menuye Antalya eklendi.

•• Ceylan ‹stanbul Brasserie Restaurant da yeni tatlar menuye eklendi.

Sarabi Beyo¤lu 9 y›l›n› kutlad›.

• Sarabi Beyo¤lu 9 y›l›n› kutlad›. içecek müdürü oldu.

Fuarlar Ocak Fuarlar Ocak • Elvan Sonnur Rixos Sungate ‘’Banquet & Incentive Sales’’ 04-06 Tourisma - Magdeburg 16-20 BTL - Lisbon 04-06 Tourisma - Magdeburg 16-20 BTL - Lisbon 08-13 Vakantiebeurs - Utrecht 17-20 FerienMesse - Wien uzmanlığına atandı.

08-13 Vakantiebeurs - Utrecht 17-20 FerienMesse - Wien 10-13 GO - Brno 17-20 MATKA - Helsinki 10-13 GO - Brno MATKA - Helsinki 10-13• Reiseliv - Oslo 17-20 ITF - BratislavaBlu Resort&Spa Otel Çeşme Satış ve Pazarlama Hakan Alakuş17-20 Radisson 10-13 Reiseliv - Oslo 17-20 ITF - Bratislava 11-13 Travel Mart - Monte Carlo 18-20 Vakanz - Luxembourg 11-13 Travel Mart - Monte Carlo 18-20 Vakanz - Luxembourg 11-20 Boatdirektörü Show - London oldu.18-26 Asean Tourism Forum - Bangkok 11-20 Boat Show - London 18-26 Asean Tourism Forum - Bangkok 12-20 CMT - Stuttgart 30-03 FITUR - Madrid 12-20• CMTMurat - Stuttgart Oldaç Fenerbahçe 30-03 FITUR - Madrid Faruk Ilgaz tesisleri müdürlüğüne getirldi. fiubat fiubat 01-03•Mahana - Bordeaux Yılmaz15-17 TOUREST - Talinn Sürmeli Otel – Adana genel müdürlüğüne atandı.

Necmi Çukurova 01-03 Mahana - Bordeaux 15-17 TOUREST - Talinn 05-06 IMTM – Telaviv 20-24 Holiday - Sofia 05-06 IMTM – Telaviv 20-24 Holiday - Sofia 06-10•Reisen - Hamburg 21-24 BITChateau - Milan Tagmaç Keler Le de Prestige Otel - Göynük, Kemer – Satış ve 06-10 - Hamburg 21-24 - Milan- Budapest 08-10 Reisen BALTTOUR - Riga 28-02 BIT UTAZAS 08-10 - Riga 28-02 UTAZAS - - Budapest Pazarlama direktörü oldu.

12-14 BALTTOUR Confex - London 29-02 VIVATTUR Vilnius 12-14 London 29-02 - Vilnius 14-17 Confex EMITT - -Istanbul 29-02 VIVATTUR NATAS -SINGAPORE 14-17 - Istanbul 29-02 NATAS -SINGAPORE Hamit Kuk Kayi genel müdürü oldu.

14-17•EMITT Holiday World - Prague 29-02Tour NYTimes Travel Show-New York 14-17 Holiday World - Prague 29-02 NYTimes Travel Show-New York • Bülent Şenses Accor Otelleri Turkiye Satış ve Pazarlama direktörü oldu.

• Niclas Prokop Lykia grubun Satış ve Pazarlama direktörü oldu.

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Focus onVeVe UITT -- Kiev Kiev UITT Turizm fuarlar›nda. fuarlar›nda.

Turizm KISA...KISA...

Tesisler • TMSF Toprak Sarıkamış Otelini 1 Mart’ta 12 milyon 240 bin dolara • •

WORLD TRAVEL GUIDE & DIARY

• • •

satışa çıkarıyor.

Mardan Palace Moskova, Soçi ve İstanbul da oteller yapacak.

Elite World İstanbul Otel 22 Ocak’dan itibaren her Cuma ve Cumartesi 22:00-01:00 saatleri arasında Emin Fındıkoğlu grubu ile caz severlere ev sahipliği yapacak.

Uslan Otel Uludağ bu yıl %36 konuk artışı bekliyor.

Cornelia Otelleri 2010 da %10 büyüme hedefliyor.

Hilton 12 şehirde 19 otele ulaşmayı hedefliyor.

Havayolları

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Tel:0216 391 3795 ozge@smpublication.com

FUARLAR Ocak 12-17 Vakantiebeurs - Utrecht 14-17 Reiseliv - Oslo 14-17 Ferien - Viena 14-17 GO - Bruno 16-25 CMT - Stuttgart 20-24 FITUR - Madrid 21-24 MATKA - Helsinki 21-29 ATF - Brunei Şubat 04-07 Destinations - Londra 05-08 Balttour - Riga 09-10 IMTM - Telaviv 10-14 Reisen - Hamburg 11-14 EMITT - İstanbul 18-21 BIT - Milan 24-28 Reise Camping - Essen 26-28 Vivattour - Vilnius

• • • • •

THY Continental Airlines ile code share anlasması imzaladı Japan Airlines (JAL) iflas koruma başvurusunda bulunuyor.

Pegasus yurtdışı ucuslara bedava ic hat uçak bileti veriyor.

Etihad ile Dubai Alışveriş Festivali 284.-Euro.

Lufthansa Kuzey Amerika’ya 16 Ocak-30 Haziran arası özel fiyatlar uyguluyor.

Acentalar • • • • •

Setur 45.yılını kutladı.

Coral Travel İspanya’yı da 2010 programına aldı.

Metro Turizm şirketlerini holding bünyesinde toplayacak.

TUI 2010 da Antalya için daha fazla kapasite ayırıyor.

Avrupa’nın en büyük kruvaziyer şirketlerinden olan Aida, bu yıl Antalya’ya 27 sefer düzenleyecek

New Focus MART - NİSAN 2010 Sayısı ITB-Berlin * MITT-Moscow, * MAP-Paris * ITM -Intourmarket - Moscow * UITT - Kiev * GLOBE-Rome * CTF-Tibilisi * Urals-Ekaterinburg * AITF-Baku * KITF - Almaty Turizm fuarlarında dağıtılacak.

Haber ve reklamlarınız için son gün 26.Şubat.2010

50 NewFocus January/February’2010

TH 20 Year th year 18th 18 yearJanuary/February’2010 NO:111 101 May/June’08 May/June’08 no: 101 no:

PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF SAHİBİ VE SORUMLU YAZI İŞLERİ MD. SUAT TÖRE suattore@smpublication.com EDITOR / EDİTOR Sevil ÖREN sevil@smpublication.com PUBLIC RELATION / HALKLA İLİŞKİLER Özge TÖRE ozge@smpublication.com EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD / YAYIN DANIŞMANLARI KURULU Kaya AKBAŞOĞLU kaya@smpublication.com Ali KIRGIZ ali@smpublication.com Fusun TÖRE fusun@smpublication.com Deniz TÜFEKCİ deniz@smpublication.com INT. RELATIONS / ULUSLARARASI İLİŞKİLER Özgür TÖRE ozgur@ftnnews.com PHOTOS / FOTO⁄RAFLAR New Focus Archive ART DIRECTOR / SANAT YONETMENİ Fatih TAHTALI OFFSET PREPARATION / OFSET HAZIRLIK Repronet FILM & PRINTING / FİLM & BASKI Özgür Matbaacılık

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