T rkiye takes centre stage at OTM 2024
The Ministry of Culture & Tourism of the Republic of Turkiye and Turkiye Tourism & Promotion Agency, showcased the country’s vibrant tourism offerings at Outbound Travel Mart 2024 (OTM), Asia’s premier travel show. The participation resulted in a significant turnout, with a massive footfall of over 1000 attendees visiting the Türkiye booth. The three-day exhibition served as a productive platform for engaging B2B sessions, facilitating meaningful interactions between Indian travel agents and key stakeholders in Türkiye’s tourism sector.
Commenting on the participation, Onur Gözet, Deputy Director General of Promotion in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said, “Our participation at OTM holds significant importance for Turkiye on multiple fronts. It serves as a pivotal platform allowing us to showcase the diverse and culturally rich experiences, historical treasures, and natural beauty our country offers. During our time at OTM, our core objectives revolved around fortifying existing partnerships, cultivating new collaborations, and elevating awareness about Turkiye as a premier tourist destination. We took the opportunity to spotlight new attractions, developments, and unique experiences curated to resonate with Indian travelers. Our focus was also on deciphering the evolving trends and preferences in the Indian travel market to fine-tune our strategies accordingly.”
In 2023, Turkiye welcomed a remarkable 5.6 crores international visitors, marking a substantial 10 per cent surge compared to the previous year. Notably, India has emerged as a pivotal market for the Turkish tourism sector and has garnered significant popularity among Indian visitors, experiencing a noteworthy 18 per cent increase – from 230,000 in 2022 to 274,000 Indian visitors in 2023. This upward trajectory underscores the growing allure of Türkiye for Indian travelers. Looking forward, Türkiye expects huge growth in the number of Indian visitors by the end of 2024, emphasising its dedication to strengthening people-to-people interactions and promoting mutual tourism growth. OTM 2024, with its distinction as the largest and most internationally diverse gathering of travel trade buyers and professionals in India, provided an excellent platform for exhibitors. Participants had the opportunity to engage with a wide array of stakeholders, including travel agents, tour operators, wedding planners, and even film, TV, and OTT producers. The event took place from Feb 8-10 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, featuring over 1600 exhibitors representing more than 60 countries, international destinations, and 30 Indian states and Union Territories.
