Istanbul Bulletin

Turkey's income from tourism increased 0.4 percent on the year to $2.002 billion in the first quarter, said Turkish Statistics Institute (TUIK).

Revenues from tourism rose to $2.002 billion from $1.994 billion reported for the same period of last year. Turkish tourists abroad spent $568 million over the same period the Turkey Statistics Institute (TUIK) said.

The significance of the combat during the World War I invasion of Ottoman territory, known in Turkey as “Çanakkale Savaslari” and “ Dardanelles Campaign,” in the United Kingdom commemorated to mark the 91st anniversary.

In addition to top Turkish officials, representatives from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and France were in attendance, including Governor General of Australia Michael Jeffery and New Zealand Parliament Speaker Margaret Wilson.

Some 10,000 Australians and New Zealanders gathered to honor the memory of thousands of soldiers died in the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli. The solemn memorials on the Gallipoli Peninsula and along the shores of the Dardanelles Strait (Çanakkale) are central to these commemorations. Turkish memorial services and Anzac Day services on the Gallipoli Peninsula is conducted by Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Britain and France.

On April 24, memorial services began at 9:00 a.m. with the Turkish International Service at the Mehmetçik Turkish Soldiers Monument and continue with the French Memorial Service at Morto Bay, followed by the Commonwealth Memorial Service at Cape Helles. April 25 services began with an Anzac Dawn Service at the Anzac Commemorative Site, followed by services at North Beach and Lone Pine, the Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial Service and New Zealand Memorial Service at Chunuk Bair.

Speaking at the dawn ceremony, Australian Governor General Michael Jeffery said that the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand began penetrating into the bay in early hours of the morning 91 years ago. "This is the time that the Turkish army defended their homeland bravely," noted Jeffery.

Praising the war skills of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Jeffery stressed that, on the first day of Canakkale battles, 2,000 Australian and New Zealander soldiers were killed. "What remains after the Canakkale battles are the sacrifices made and a history based on mutual respect," commented Jeffery.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's House of Representatives Speaker Margaret Wilson underlined that the Canakkale battles caused the extermination of many young generations from different countries and deep pain. "The grand children of New Zealander soldiers are in Gallipoli today. The grand children of Turkish and New Zealander soldiers have learned to respect each other. The seeds of mutual relations were planted in Gallipoli 91 years ago," indicated Wilson.

First Lieutenant Ercan Aslan read some remarks of Ataturk at the dawn ceremony. "Ataturk noted that the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand who died in Canakkale battles are now Turkey's sons," remarked Aslan.
Source: Newspapers

According to sales reports by the MasterCard and Maestro credit card agencies, the USA was the country where Turkish tourists spent the most money last year, at $81 million.

In its analysis, MasterCard said Turks abroad had increased their spending habits by 35 percent, spending a total of 319 million euros outside their own country. England came in as the second highest place of spending for Turkish tourist money, at 52 million euros.

The first international five star hotel is to officially open in Bodrum this month (19 May 2006) with the largest spa in the Mediterranean, operated by Six Senses. The Kempinski Barbaros Bay has 173-whitewashed rooms on the Barbaros Bay cliffs just outside the town, with its own secluded sandy beach.

The hotel has two presidential suites, each 200sqm with private entrances, 23 junior and senior suites and 148 deluxe and superior rooms each with their own terrace or balcony and views of the Aegean Sea . Prices start from GBP163 for a double superior room.

The 5,500 sqm Six Senses spa has been designed as a contemporary sanctuary, providing a taste of Six Senses' Asian heritage, whilst retaining traditions of Turkish spa culture. Prices for treatments start from around GBP30.

The hotel will open an exclusive nightclub in May on the cliff above the beach. The Cliffhanger Club will be an offshoot of the famous Samdan club in Istanbul.

Hotel guests can choose to dine at the main Italian restaurant; a Vietnamese Asian Restaurant; the pool restaurant serving barbeque lunches and a beach bar, which serves traditional Turkish food and mezze on the beach into the evening.

There is an infinity swimming pool as well as an outdoor and indoor pool and diving and other water sports are available directly from the hotel beach. The hotel also has its own traditional wooden gullet which can be hired for day or evening cruises.

The resort is far enough away from Bodrum for those who want peace and quiet, but close enough (14km) for those who want to visit the town's many restaurants and bars. It is only 30 km from Milas-Bodrum Airport, which is 45 minutes from Istanbul by air. Numerous charter carriers operate to Bodrum from the UK.

Turkish Culture & Tourism Minister Atilla Koc attended the inauguration of international tourism fair (KITF-2006) in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Holding a press conference in Almaty, Koc indicated that the actual number of weekly flights between Almaty and Istanbul and between Astana and Istanbul is just 10. According to information Koc gave, more than 100,000 Kazakh citizens visited Turkey last year. The number of weekly flights between Turkey and Kazakhstan will be increased to 25 as of May, Koc stated.

On the other hand, Koc stressed that Turkey and Kazakhstan must promote tourism along the historical Silk Road, and added that this will be for the best interests of the two countries.

Kazakh and Russian tourists take the lead in the Turkish travel industry; therefore, the collaboration should be closer and more fruitful. For this reason we have arrived in Kazakhstan for participating in the international fair, Koc aired.

According to the executive director of the Kazakhstan Tourist Association Rashida Shaikenova this year the tourist, flow will grow substantially for the increase of the regular weekly flights from 10 to 25.

But for the bilateral collaboration Kazakhstan and Turkey are known to cooperate within TURKSOI international organization for the development of Turkic culture and arts as well. The parties organize exposures, festivals, symposiums, and other cultural events.

A 3-day 'International Railway Symposium' will be organized jointly by four public institutions: State Railways (TCDD), Middle East Technical University (METU), Istanbul Technical University (ITÜ), and Süleyman Demirel University (SDÜ).

The symposium will be held in Ankara and Istanbul between September 13-15, 2006. The symposium will start in Ankara at Middle East Technical University Convention Center and last two days, and then continue in Istanbul at Istanbul Technical University Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center.

A technical tour to TCDD-ITÜ Fatigue Laboratory in Istanbul , construction of Light Rail System in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and MARMARAY (the Marmara Rail Tube Tunnel & Commuter Rail Mass Transit System in Istanbul ) is planned on September 16, 2006.

Aim of the symposium is to contribute to the sharing of research and experiences of academicians and institutions in areas of railway infrastructure/superstructure construction, maintenance, management, rolling stock and restructuring. Thus, outcomes of the symposium are expected to contribute to worldwide development of the railway sector as well as to support it to compete with other modes of transportation in an efficient and effective way.

The working language at the event will be Turkish and English. Translation service will be available in sessions.

After the load rate in Izmir-Diyarbakir flights had reached to 92%, considering the passengers' demand, SunExpress will start to Antalya-Diyarbakir flights. So, one of the most important cities of Southeastern Anatolia Region, Diyarbakir will be connected to Antalya, the center city of Turkish tourism, every Tuesday as of April 25, 2006.

Paul Schwaiger, Managing Director of SunExpress, the company that started direct domestic flights from Izmir as a first in Turkey, said, “Our flights started just two weeks ago. The load rates that we achieved in such a short period and passengers' demands are pretty promising. The numbers also prove that Anatolian cities really needed direct flights to other big cities. Passenger demands from Diyarbakir showed that there was enough potential to fly to Antalya directly as well as to Izmir. So, we satisfied the demand and we're happy to be the first real regional airline in Turkey.”