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 percent – 4.4 percent up on 2018, and 10 percent 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 sey cok 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 city-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 fivestar 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 $90 per night for a room compared with $166-220 [elsewhere] in Europe,” says Cemil Hakan Kilic, chief executive of the Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB). Investments in hotel development isn’t just confined to the city center or the main tourist spots of the Bosphorus – even the grayest outlying industrial and business districts now boast high-end branded hotels.
Bu hikaye Business Traveler dergisinin February 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Business Traveler dergisinin February 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
A New Leaf - How hotels are incorporating plants to boost guests' mood and productivity
Indoor flora can boost happiness, relieve stress and increase productivity.
Private Flies
FORGET THE DAY when private aviation was reserved solely for celebs, royals and high-powered CEOs. You don’t have to be a Logan Roy scion to travel on your terms. In 2024, private jets are taking off as a viable option for business travelers, shifting toward flexibility, cost sense, ease of use, and convenience.
Bandon Dunes
In 1999, a national golf magazine sent me on a road trip four and a half hours from my home in Portland to review a new resort on the Oregon coast that seemed particularly destined for obscurity.
Bright Ideas
FORNDLY NICKMAED THE the Queen City, Charlotte, North Carolina, is a destination that thrives on many fronts. Visitors can look forward to year round mild weather, a robust food and drink scene that includes more than 40 breweries, and an ever-growing cultural lineup of museums, public murals and music performances.
Full House
Corporate buyouts are on the rise at boutique properties
Remote Control
The Malin, a designforward work-focused membership club, brings professionals together in New York and Nashville
Bigger and Better
Dubai plans a mega airport to attract more flights and passengers
Urban Renewal
How Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton is revolutionizing the airports of New York and New Jersey
LATAM VIP Lounge
The LATAM VIP Lounge in Santiago International Airport’s Terminal 2 offers a peaceful retreat for international travelers. Covering more than 43,000 square feet, this lounge is the largest in South America, providing a combination of luxury, sustainability and comfort.
Fouquet's New York
Francophiles are likely all too familiar with Fouquet’s Paris, the sumptuous and historic hotel on the Champs-Élysées that has been open since 1899.