Emre Narin made assessments on a range of topics from seasonal forecasts to industry issues, and from the bankruptcy of FTI to the expectations of the Martı Group regarding the new season.
“Major operators extended their flights until the end of november”
Expressing that they had a fast start to the season, Narin said, "A good season is coming. We had a quick start. At the same time, our season seems to be extending until the end of November. The school mid-term break coinciding with this period will also benefit the domestic market. Moreover, there is interest from our source markets beyond the high season. All major operators have extended their flights until the end of November. All these are positive developments for us."
“Germany will be the leading country in our tourism again”
Stating that Germany will once again be the leading market, Emre Narin said, "We are getting very strong signals from the German market. They have never left Türkiye, but they are making steady progress towards being the leading market again. There is significant demand from the UK market for Antalya. This year, the number of British tourists coming will surpass Dalaman for the first time. The Polish market has also started to develop in recent years and continues to grow strongly."
Martı Group aims to increase overnight stays by 40%
Narin stated that Martı Group aims to increase overnight stays by 40%, saying, "As Martı Group, we aim for a 40% increase in overnight stays and a 60% increase in revenue in euro terms in the new season. On the marina side, the incoming demand continues strongly, and we have about 85% occupancy."
Increasing costs and profit margins
Reminded that the increase in exchange rates since June 2022 has been around 85%, Emre Narin said, "Since that day, the increase in the minimum wage has reached 300%, and the state of inflation is evident. This season will be good, but meeting costs and maintaining profitability is becoming increasingly difficult."
“The staff expense is the most challenging for us”
Pointing out that the high cost of living affects hotels as well, Narin said, "We buy for our hotels what is bought for a household. As the sector with the most intensive human resources, naturally, the staff expense is the most challenging for us. This is our largest expense item. Then come food and beverage and energy. On one hand, we continue our trade and on the other hand, we try to increase our profit. In this respect, some countries may be more affordable than Türkiye, but tourists cannot get the same service they get here from another country. We see that major international hotel chains are moving to come to Türkiye's coasts. Therefore, considering the current economic conditions, the all-inclusive system has become a suitable option for everyone."
“The biggest problem of the tourism sector is employment”
Emphasizing that the biggest problem of the tourism sector is employment, Narin said, "The two sectors with the most intensive human resources are retail and tourism. The biggest problem of the tourism sector is employment. This is very clear. This is a problem not only for us but also for the world. We are experiencing it very strongly. Especially after the pandemic, there was a significant reverse migration. People used to come from different regions of Türkiye to work in hotels, but now there is a trend of moving away from the sector. Additionally, we also have an outflow of human resources abroad, and tourism personnel are included in this migration. Hotel investments are being made continuously, but there is no staff. As the tourism sector, we are trying to solve this employment problem in different ways. We are bringing in labor from abroad, but it is hard to predict how long this will last. Maybe in the future, we will move to a new concept with less staff. More new graduates should be attracted to the sector from universities, but the working standards and sector choices of the new generation are very different. As Martı Group, we have adopted the principle of developing together with the region we are in. It is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve this today."
“A crisis like Thomas Cook’s will not happen”
Regarding the bankruptcy of the German tour operator FTI, which brought approximately 2 million tourists to Türkiye, Emre Narin said, "It was unexpected for us. Yes, there were some issues and we were aware of them as an industry. However, after the recently signed sale protocol of the company, we thought there were no problems left. Unfortunately, the process did not progress that way. It seems that the issue can be managed without growing too big with the support of other tour operators and our Ministry of Culture and Tourism.