At its traditional agency event, Comedy Night, held this year at the Megasaray Westbeach in Antalya-Konyaaltı, Bentour Reisen hosted 700 agencies from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the company’s senior management reviewed the 2024 performance and shared their goals for 2025 during a press conference. The event featured Chairman Kadir Uğur, CEO Deniz Uğur, Germany General Manager Songül Göktaş-Rosati, and Türkiye General Manager Melih Yetiş.
Bentour Reisen served nearly 280,000 guests in 2024, marking a 25% increase and its most successful season to date. Revenue surged by 40% to €210 million.
2025 projections: early success and continued growth
The company reported strong demand for the 2025 season, with significant double-digit revenue growth already recorded. “The high demand for Bentour Reisen for the 2025 season reflects the trust of customers to our company. Strong early bookings highlight the ongoing passion for travel and satisfaction among our customers and sales partners,” Bentour Reisen stated.
Kadir Uğur: Rising costs pose challenges
Bentour Chairman Kadir Uğur reflected on the company’s journey and expressed concerns about rising costs in Türkiye. “Türkiye is becoming more expensive, leading to challenges during the peak season. Hotels resort to price adjustments when they aren’t fully booked, creating difficulties for us. Because we have to manage huge number of customers in short period. All-inclusive packages are becoming too costly for European tourists, many of whom don’t want to pay for services they don’t use,” Uğur explained.
Uğur also highlighted the decline in the number of Turkish tour operators in Europe, dropping from over 30 to just 4–5. He criticized the lack of support for European-based Turkish operators.
Deniz Uğur: Peak season pricing a concern
Bentour CEO Deniz Uğur noted a strong 80% increase in early bookings and projected 280,000 guests for 2024. “Next year, we’ll be the fifth-largest tour operator by capacity with SunExpress, having reserved 400,000 seats. This will allow us to double the number of tourists we bring to Türkiye in 2025,” Uğur said.
However, he highlighted shifts in demand, with stronger sales in April, May, September, and October but challenges in June, July, and August due to higher prices.
Focusing on quality and innovation
Uğur emphasized Bentour’s growth through enhanced service quality, achieving a 4.8 customer satisfaction score on Trustpilot. He credited the company’s success in Germany to its robust team and tailored services, adding, “It’s not easy to penetrate the sales networks of RTK, LCC or TUI. It requires a long-term strategy.”
Germany General Manager Songül Göktaş-Rosati underlined the company’s commitment to creating value, stating, “Value creation begins with valuing our customers, destinations, agencies, and staff. The foundation of our 20-year success lies in these principles, supported by Chairman Kadir Uğur’s 56 years of tourism experience.”
Rethinking the all-inclusive model
The press conference also discussed the need to revise the all-inclusive concept. CEO Deniz Uğur suggested narrowing its scope, inspired by cruise packages that offer basic services with optional add-ons. Türkiye General Manager Melih Yetiş proposed a softer all-inclusive approach, where imported beverages could be offered as paid options, aligning with customer preferences.
"Every element in the tavel chain is valuable to us"
Bentour Germany General Manager Songül Göktaş-Rosati emphasized the company’s steady growth through quality tourism and attentive customer service. “We listen carefully to our customers, meet with our travel agencies, and ask what our clients truly want. Ensuring customer satisfaction is our priority, which is why every element in the travel chain is invaluable to us,” she stated.
Rosati highlighted recent improvements, such as a personalized airport-to-hotel transfer service. “Instead of transfers that stop at 5-6 hotels, our customers now experience direct transfers with only one or two stops, greatly enhancing their satisfaction. Our growth is driven by our commitment to service excellence, product quality, and the dedication of our team,” she concluded.
Commitment to sustainability and personalization
Türkiye General Manager of the company Melih Yetiş highlighted Bentour’s focus on personalized services and sustainable practices. “Our direct transfer service, bypassing multiple hotel stops, has significantly improved customer satisfaction. We are also investing in artificial intelligence to enhance flexibility in booking processes. Additionally, we’re opening a new environmentally friendly headquarters to align with the growing demand for eco-conscious travel,” he said.
