Ercan Çek, General Manager of Sirene Belek Hotel and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Professional Hotel Managers Association (POYD), assessed current developments in the tourism sector and the overall course of the season.

Ercan Çek emphasized that despite everything, the 2025 season was successful in many respects, stating that the sector continues to add value to the national economy and employment.

“EXPECTATIONS WERE HIGH, BUT THE RESULTS WERE STILL SUCCESSFUL”

In a mid-season assessment, Ercan Çek stated that the results achieved despite the global crises were remarkable. He stated: “The season is in full swing. Looking at the global landscape, I believe Antalya tourism, and therefore tourism in Turkey, is experiencing a very successful period. Why do I say successful? The years-long Russia-Ukraine war is still ongoing. We had high expectations that the war would end this year, but it didn't. In addition, there was another development affecting the entire world, the Israel-Iran conflict. Despite all these negativities, when we look at the figures and occupancy rates today, the 2025 season paints a strong picture in terms of occupancy and turnover.”

“THE CORE ISSUE IS EXCHANGE RATES AND COSTS”

Ercan Çek stated that one of the tourism sector's biggest problems is the balance of exchange rates and costs, saying, “Our revenues are in foreign currency, but our expenses are largely in Turkish Lira. The gap has widened significantly in this regard. There are significant increases in energy, water, and personnel costs, in particular. This affects businesses' profitability. However, despite all this, occupancy rates and demand remain strong. This demonstrates the resilience and strength of the sector.”

"WE SHOULD NEVER LOSE OUR TRUST IN TOURISM"

Emphasizing the indispensability of the tourism sector for the Turkish economy, Çek continued: "Tourism is a sector that generates hot money, contributes to employment, and is resilient to crises. Therefore, we must never give up on this sector. We've experienced pandemics, wars, and global crises. But we're still standing strong. As investors and professional managers, we must continue to invest in both facility quality and human resources. Improving service quality, strengthening infrastructure, and prioritizing education are essential. As these steps are taken, the tourism sector will always contribute to our country and its employees."

"WAR WAS COMING IN THE HEART OF THE SEASON, BUT THE HOTELS WERE FULL"

Ercan Çek stated that morale should not be dampened despite some statistical data falling short of expectations. "At the beginning of this year, we set our targets high, saying, 'We'll increase last year's figures by 15 percent.' That didn't happen, but even reaching last year's figures is a significant achievement. Despite new mid-season crises, we filled our hotels during the high season. This demonstrates the resilience and strength of our sector. I believe we've established a solid infrastructure for 2026 and 2027," he said.

"TOURISM INVESTMENTS MUST NOT STOP"

Concluding his remarks with a call to sector stakeholders, Ercan Çek said, "Let's believe in tourism, let's trust it, and let's never give up on investments. This country thrives on tourism; if our sector thrives, Türkiye thrives."