Almeria heads to Istanbul to promote tourism offer to Turkish travellers

Almeria's tourist board has had its first ever promotional foray into the Turkish market having participated in the Turespaña Professional Conference in Istanbul from 16 to 18 February. The tourist board's objective was to position the province's tourism resources with specialised agencies and tour operators.

The event allowed 'Costa de Almería' to showcase its cultural, experiential, nature and eco-sustainable tourism offer. The Almeria delegation participated in destination presentations and in an intense B2B meeting (workshop), holding direct meetings with companies interested in including the province in their commercial brochures.

The choice of Istanbul is no coincidence. Turkey has established itself as one of the most dynamic markets with the greatest growth potential for Spain. According to the latest figures, Spain received more than 612,000 tourists, an increase of almost 80 per cent over the previous year. Turkish tourists stand out for their high purchasing power. Last year, Turkey led the increase in air capacity and new routes to Spain.

Air connectivity is the great ally of this trade mission. Istanbul has established itself as a key strategic hub connecting Andalucía with more than 350 global destinations in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Thanks to the new routes and the increase in frequencies of companies such as Turkish Airlines, Pegasus and AJet to nearby airports including Malaga and Seville, Almeria now has the opportunity to attract long-haul travellers with high purchasing power, thus reducing dependence on traditional European markets.

"With the participation of the Provincial Tourism Service in these conferences, we seek to attract a traveller who is looking for longer stays and higher spending, interested in our premium and slow life segment, culture and gastronomy", emphasised the provincial tourism spokesperson, María José Herrada.