Mustafa Kemal Çubuk, Deputy General Manager of Sales and Operations at TatilBudur, expressed their satisfaction with their third participation in the Antalya Tourism Fair, stating that the fair provided a crucial advantage by bringing together the hotel and agency ecosystem during a time of agreements, especially in the country's tourism capital, Antalya, which contributed to an increased growth momentum.
Continuing with an evaluation of the 2023 tourism sector, Mustafa Kemal Çubuk said, "For us at TatilBudur, in terms of domestic tourism, we can say that the 2023 season has been very successful. Since the pandemic, we've experienced a growth rate surpassing the industry's domestic market growth. Consequently, it's essential to mention that our market share has increased. Currently, in the summer hotel industry, our growth rate is around 22% compared to last year's reservations. Overall, across all hotel groups, we have seen growth rates around 25%. When comparing the number of rooms and reservations from the previous year, we observe that the domestic tourism sector has grown in single-digit percentages. Despite consumers being exposed to significant inflation increases related to costs, their appetite for domestic tourism has not diminished. We now see that people are not content with just one holiday; they're even taking second and third holidays."
Initiating Early Booking Campaign on October 30th
In light of all these observations and data, Çubuk highlighted their forecast for the continuation of growth in domestic tourism in 2024. He stated, "At TatilBudur, we aim to set our targets higher than this year. However, despite believing in the continuity of the dynamism in domestic tourism, like everyone else, we also notice some uncertainties considering global developments."
Mustafa Kemal Çubuk announced the commencement of their early reservation campaign on Monday, October 30th. Pointing out the price increases prior to the early booking campaign last year, Çubuk emphasized the importance of early reservations, indicating the advantages it provides to consumers. He highlighted that while costs continue to rise, consumers might face higher costs if they delay their holiday purchases. Noting the increased interest rates on credit cards, Çubuk mentioned that campaigns such as installment options for consumers have incurred substantial cost increases. He suggested that the winter period might be a bit demanding; however, they anticipate that the advantage of early reservations will support the momentum in the domestic market.
"People are seeking trust in a brand"
Barış Nefesoğlu, Deputy General Manager responsible for Marketing, shared his assessment, stating, "After the pandemic in 2021, there was an increase in consumer anxiety, particularly regarding hygiene and cleanliness. This generally led to a preference for open spaces. Today, in our research targeting the same audience, we observed that consumers are giving answers such as 'I want more freedom and fun' and 'I want to get my own food'. People now seek trust first in the brand they are planning to vacation at, followed by fun and convenience. At TatilBudur, we have provided various conveniences and facilities for our customers to find the holiday they are looking for, from our call centers to our online platform with a ChatGPT-powered virtual assistant. Moreover, taking into account that everyone's perception of a vacation differs, we altered our strategy on digital platforms and partly on television and radio to align our messages with people's needs and the expectations they conveyed to us. We will continue these efforts by launching new projects in the 2024 season."
