Çeşme hotels left to foreign tourists

Friday, September 19, 2008

Most hotels in the Aegean resort town of Çeşme, which had a very good season in August, are plagued by low occupancy rates in the month of Ramadan. But this year some took measures to prevent the drop, reaching out especially to foreign tourists

İZMİR - Anatolia News Agency

Many hotels experience a decline in occupancy rates during the month of Ramadan. This is especially true of those in the Aegean holiday resort town of Çeşme, a prime destination for domestic tourists.

In response, some hotels took measures before this year's Ramadan period to attract international tourists from countries such as Germany, Russia, Britain, Denmark and Sweden.

According to the Çeşme representative of the Aegean Hotels Association, Bülent Taner, occupancy rates have fallen to 20 percent in many of the hotels that did not take measure against the stagnation that Ramadan brings. But Taner said the Destination İzmir group had prepared an action plan to increase the number of foreign tourists for the month of Ramadan.

�Because Ramadan is a holiday season, we, as Destination İzmir hotels, have prepared a 10-year action plan. Our goal was to increase the number of foreigners. We have attended all prominent international fairs for two years. This year we started to see the results of these efforts,� he said.

Taner said hotels that did not prepare for the month of Ramadan saw a sharp fall in their occupancy rates, but that other hotels in the district have enjoyed a 50 percent occupancy rate. �We expect this rate will remain at 40 to 45 percent in the winter season. Hotels in the Pamucak region have a 100 percent occupancy rate. There is a tourist flow, especially from Germany, Denmark and Sweden, to that region in this period. Rooms left by domestic tourists are occupied by those from northern countries.�

Season extended to 180 days

Kaan Bayhan, the manager of Süzer Sun Dreams Hotel in Çeşme's Alaçatı district, said domestic tourism dried up in the month of Ramadan and that they were only able to host foreign guests. Çeşme tourism was heavily affected by events in the country because it primarily served domestic tourism, said Bayhan. �That's why the summer season started late this year and ended earlier than previous years.�

He said most hotels in the district did not work with foreign tour operators. �Çeşme is empty since the beginning of September. But the facilities working with foreign tour operators are still full. Our hotel's occupancy rate is 100 percent right now.

�I believe that other hotels in the district realized the importance of working with foreign tour operators in this season. We extended the season to 180 days thanks to contracts with new foreign tour agencies this year. We have made contracts with four tour operators for the next season. We hosted Russian guests this year for the first time. We also communicate with British and German markets and got positive results,� he said.

Preparations for Bayram holiday

Grand Ontur Hotel general manager Gökçe Kesitçiler said occupancy rates in Çeşme, which had a very good season this year, saw a sharp decline with the opening of schools. She said hotel occupancy rates remained at 95 percent in August but declined to 35 percent in September.

�The summer season ends in Çeşme every year with the opening of schools, but this year there was a sudden fall due to the month of Ramadan. However, because of the long Bayram holiday, hotels are now preparing to serve special packages to guests.�

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