BUILDING BRIDGES
Business Traveller Middle East|December 2019
Along with its new airport, Turkey ’s biggest city has seen a raft of improvements that are bolstering its appeal as a business and leisure destination
David O'Byrne
BUILDING BRIDGES

The past year has been a watershed one for Istanbul. The city’s tourism sector is recovering from the troubles of 2016, with arrivals for 2019 expected to have topped 15.5 million by the year’s end (according to Istanbul chamber of commerce president Sekib Avdagic), up from 13.4 million in 2018. Hotel occupancy in the peak month of August, meanwhile, reached 87.7 per cent – 4.4 per cent up on 2018, and 10 per cent above the European average – according to the Hotel Association of Turkey.

On June 23, a new young city mayor from the main secular opposition party was elected under the slogan “Her ÅŸey çok guzel olacak” (Everything’s going to be great). One of the first ways that Ekrem Imamoglu is seeking to achieve his aim is by swiftly setting about reforming the city’s cumbersome and opaque bureaucracy, which sees many services delivered through a tangle of municipally owned companies and allegations of soft contracts being awarded to companies close to Turkey’s governing AK party.

HOST CITY

Imamoglu has a good platform for these changes. Close to two decades of investment has overhauled the city’s infrastructure and brought a sea change in the hospitality and retail sectors. Gone are most of the backpacker hostels; instead, Istanbul now boasts 220 four- and five-star hotels, with a further 54 scheduled to open in the coming years.

“We’re one of the most competitive cities on price–visitors spend an average of €80 per night for a room compared with €150-200 [elsewhere] in Europe,” says Cemil Hakan Kilic, chief executive of the Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB). Investment isn’t confined to the city centre or the main tourist spots of the Bosphorus – even the greyest outlying industrial and business districts now boast high-end branded hotels (see box overleaf ).

Esta historia es de la edición December 2019 de Business Traveller Middle East.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición December 2019 de Business Traveller Middle East.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE BUSINESS TRAVELLER MIDDLE EASTVer todo
Onwards and upwards
Business Traveller Middle East

Onwards and upwards

In an exclusive interview with Ian Fairservice for Business Traveller, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO and Founder of the Emirates Group, provides insight into the current and future state of travel and Emirates’ pivotal role in getting the industry back on track

time-read
5 minutos  |
July - August 2021
Cleaning up the crisis
Business Traveller Middle East

Cleaning up the crisis

How hotels have risen to the challenge of keeping guests safe during the pandemic

time-read
10 minutos  |
May - June 2021
The Great Vegas Meetings Magic Act
Business Traveller Middle East

The Great Vegas Meetings Magic Act

The city is working hard to conjure up events and make millions of visitors reappear

time-read
9 minutos  |
May - June 2021
TAKES OFF
Business Traveller Middle East

TAKES OFF

Corporations are seeking new travel solutions that put safety and convenience first

time-read
5 minutos  |
May - June 2021
TEE TIME IN TOKYO
Business Traveller Middle East

TEE TIME IN TOKYO

The Tokyo Olympics may be delayed, but the golf courses around Japan’s capital aren’t slowing down

time-read
5 minutos  |
May - June 2021
KEYS TO THE KINGDOM
Business Traveller Middle East

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

New and upcoming hotels to check out when you next visit Saudi Arabia

time-read
10+ minutos  |
May - June 2021
QATAR CALLING
Business Traveller Middle East

QATAR CALLING

A swathe of hotels are opening in the Gulf State in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup

time-read
10 minutos  |
March 2021
MEMPHIS CON BRIO
Business Traveller Middle East

MEMPHIS CON BRIO

Music and history flood through the heart and soul of this quintessential American river town

time-read
6 minutos  |
March 2021
Sofitel Mumbai BKC
Business Traveller Middle East

Sofitel Mumbai BKC

BACKGROUND Sofitel Mumbai BKC is one of Accor’s most prominent addresses in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The French hospitality group’s other hotels in the city are operated under the Novotel and ibis brands.

time-read
3 minutos  |
March 2021
Taking Scotland in Stride
Business Traveller Middle East

Taking Scotland in Stride

A walk through the Highlands and Borders is the best way to touch this country’s history and nature

time-read
5 minutos  |
March 2021