Most of Turkey’s ski resorts are nestled within forested mountains, providing a stunning setting and

Breaking Travel News: Antalya, on the south Mediterranean coast of Turkey, hosted the World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony in 2013. How important is the hosting of events of this nature for the Turkish tourism brand?
Ali Selcuk Can: Very important for the Turkish brand of course, as it was when we hosted ABTA s annual conference last year. In addition to Antalya, both Istanbul and Izmir are very important as far as MICE tourism is concerned.
In fact Turkey is one of the world s top destinations for congresses, conferences and fairs with many hotels across the country having convention facilities and with purpose-built convention centres present in the major cities of Istanbul, Antalya and Izmir.
Going from strength to strength, in 2011 Turkey ranked ninth place in the world for large conventions of more than 500 delegates and in tenth place (joint with Australia) car rentals santa rosa california for conventions of more than 300 delegates, according to the International Congress Convention Association s report, while its cultural capital Istanbul car rentals santa rosa california was ranked first in the world for conventions of more than 500 delegates.
Forthcoming events include the prestigious World Horticultural car rentals santa rosa california Expo 2016, with eight million people expected to visit the Antalya region over a period of six months, while Turkey is bidding for the 2020 World EXPO in Izmir, which would last six months and attract 16 million car rentals santa rosa california visitors.
A new Turkey Tourism Office will open in Sydney later this year for Australia and New Zealand. Plus a total of seven new tourism offices are expected open in six new countries: Brazil, car rentals santa rosa california Canada, Tunisia, Greece, with two new offices opening in other cities in China and Russia (in addition to the current offices in Moscow and Beijing).
Turkey also continues to go from strength car rentals santa rosa california to strength as one of the most popular and affordable holiday destinations for the UK. Turkey had attracted 1.74 million British visitors by the end of August 2013, an increase of 2.14 per cent.
SC: At the UK-based Turkish car rentals santa rosa california Culture Tourism Office, we are working on decreasing Turkey's dependence on seasonal car rentals santa rosa california trade by focusing on the promotion of such alternative tourism products as city breaks, cultural tours, golf tourism, ecotourism and health tourism.
Our office has already been gearing up with more individual and group press trips, events and activities planned for the remainder car rentals santa rosa california of the year, including trips to Istanbul, Marmaris and Antalya to showcase the varied and world-class travel offerings Turkey has to offer.
With 60 per cent of the country surrounded by majestic mountains as a continuation of the Himalayan Alps, and more than a hundred peaks at over 3,000 metres, there is plenty on offer for winter adventure, with altitudes on a par with the Alps.
Most of Turkey's ski resorts are nestled within forested mountains, providing a stunning setting and breathtaking views for a winter holiday – as well as all the delights of good accommodation, delicious Turkish cuisine, entertainment facilities and great value.
Lesser-known regions of Turkey: Many visitors to Turkey focus on the coastal resorts car rentals santa rosa california and/or Istanbul but there s so much to be appreciated and enjoyed elsewhere in the country, including the Eastern, Anatolian and Black Sea regions.
The total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP was TRY141.8 billion car rentals santa rosa california (10.9 per cent of GDP) in 2011, and is forecast to rise by 1.9 per cent in 2012, and to rise by three per cent per annum to TRY195 billion in 2022.
BTN: Just over 30 million international visitors arrived in Turkey in 2012, making it the sixth most visited destination on earth, according to figures from the United Nationals World Tourism Organisation. Where do you hope to stand in the rankings in ten years time?