Mehmet İşler: We experienced a disaster but our tourism facilities are open

Mehmet İşler, President of the Aegean Touristic Enterprises and Accommodations Association ( ETİK ) and Vice President of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED), said that the fires that broke out in the Aegean and touristic districts in the last month have deeply affected the regional economy and the sector. İşler explained that all tourism operators in the Aegean, especially Çeşme , Foça , Seferihisar, are standing with their facilities and service quality, and that they are making intense efforts to erase the traces and effects of this disaster.

Fire news raises concerns about destination

İşler stated that the widespread coverage of the fire news in the national and international press has led to concerns about the safety of the destination, and that especially foreign tourists make their reservation decisions based on such news, and therefore there may be cancellations or postponements of reservations. He added that the tourism sector is strong and everyone continues to host their guests by trying to do more than they can.

Disaster in the middle of the season

Mehmet İşler; "First of all, I would like to convey my best wishes to all our citizens, businesses and tourism workers who were exposed to the fire in Çeşme , Foça , Seferihisar and our region. The fire was a disaster that deeply affected not only our nature but also the regional economy and tourism sector. The fires that occurred in a destination famous for its natural beauties such as the Aegean, unfortunately caused damage to thousands of hectares of forestland. Our green texture, walking trails and natural landscape, which are among the reasons why tourists prefer the region, were seriously damaged. There were cancellations in some hotel reservations immediately after the fire. Restaurants, beach clubs and tour operators risked losing income. Especially activities based on outdoor tourism, beach activities, yacht tours and walks were affected. Some people changed their holiday plans because they were worried about their health. Having such a disaster right in the middle of the summer season created serious economic difficulties."

"Our region is safe, active, our facilities are open. We continue to host all our guests in the best way with peace of mind. Seferihisar, Foça, Çeşme are standing. Our people, our sector employees are standing tall. Our region, especially Çeşme, still maintains its beauty and energy. Everyone is trying to do more than they can. We are a strong sector that has gained resilience by eliminating the effects of the pandemic, wars, earthquakes, and economic input costs in recent years. We continue to host our guests and provide them with holidays that will make you miss the old days." he said.