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Date: 12/02/2010
Tourism fair opens with focus on enhanced regional cooperation
The 14th East Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition (EMITT) opened its doors in Istanbul on Thursday with a focus this year on increased efforts to turn the region into one of the most attractive tourism hubs in the world.
The exhibition was officially launched by Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Günay and Zoheir Garranah, the minister of tourism of Egypt, the exhibition’s “guest country.” The exhibition, which runs through Sunday at the TÜYAP Fair, Convention and Congress Center in Beylikdüzü, also hosts stands of over a hundred cities and districts from throughout Turkey on an area of 55,000 square meters.
Turkey: an example of proven success in global tourism
Participants who spoke at the fair’s opening ceremony noted that the Eastern Mediterranean region is described by international tourism organizations as one of the regions most open to rapid growth and that Turkey, the only country to have enjoyed growth in its tourism industry amid a global financial crisis last year, stands as a unique example for other countries that are keen to increase their prominence in the global tourism industry.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Günay said the Eastern Mediterranean region is well poised to become the most attractive tourism center in the world in the years to come and that Turkey places a great deal of importance on enhancing cooperation among the countries in the region to this end. “Among the world’s 10 largest tourism industries, Turkey was the only country to see growth in its tourism. This is a clear indicator that the country has the potential to become one of the few leading tourism economies in the coming years,” he said. The minister noted that EMITT will be a unique opportunity for tourism professionals from all over the world at a time when the global tourism sector seeks to overcome stagnation caused by the crisis.
“I believe that EMITT will contribute to the betterment of our already existing ties of friendship,” the minister said, noting that Turkey is ready to share its experience in tourism as a country that has “turned the crisis into an advantage through effective strategies and operations.”
Egyptian Minister of Tourism Garranah said his country is committed to strengthening “rooted ties” with Turkey in the field of tourism as part of an effort to boost tourism in the whole region. The Egyptian minister also complimented Turkey’s success in having managed to see growth in its tourism industry. “We call on our Turkish friends to conceive of us as a partner in tourism and take steps in this regard.”
Also speaking at the ceremony, Istanbul Governor Muammer Güler said EMITT is a great meeting place where businessmen from the tourism industry meet and look for partners in Turkey to help them expand into the Middle East and Asia.
Turgut Gür, president of Turkish Tourism Association (TYD), said: “Due to its high potential, the Eastern Mediterranean region is among the most attractive regions in terms of world scale tourism. The utilization of this potential requires the cooperation of countries in the region.” Gür said EMITT is a suitable platform for such cooperation to take place in a region that receives 60 million tourists annually with a total market size of $60 billion.
With an ultimate goal of becoming the sole platform where entrepreneurs and visitors from the leading Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian destinations can meet and seek partnerships, this year’s EMITT brings together the representatives of some 60 countries. This year’s EMITT showcases a wide range of travel services and destinations from around the world with a strong representation from the Eastern Mediterranean region.
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