Residence crisis at the ALTSO council meeting
The regular meeting of the Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ALTSO) for November was held. In his significant remarks, President Eray Erdem said, "Alanya has no time to lose. It is a very tired and exhausted city. It needs to be quickly revised".
In his speech, ALTSO President Eray Erdem provided detailed information to the council members about the works carried out, especially his meetings in Ankara. Erdem stated, "One of the problems of Alanya is the residence issue that is being addressed. I don’t see this issue solely as a problem of our sector, so I personally pay more attention to it than perhaps necessary. Because banning this is an image loss. It is unacceptable for me that the residence permits of foreign residents, who have lived here for many years, are suddenly revoked for whatever reason, causing hardship. I think it damages both our country's and our city's tourism image, which is why we are dedicating more time to it than it should be on the agenda. The Directorate General of Migration Management is working on a new residence law. During this process, we visit every authorized and unauthorized institution to ensure that Alanya's demands are not forgotten while this bill is being prepared".
WE NEED TO PREPARE THE CITY
During his talks in Ankara, President Erdem listed the demands regarding the expansion of Alanya-Gazipaşa Airport. He said, "Since last year, we have heard periodically in the public about this. Several times, we were told the project would be revised. We raised our concerns during our meetings in Ankara. This is actually a delayed matter. We go to fairs, we promote Alanya. There are growing markets, which is a wonderful thing, but how far have we progressed with our preparations? Perhaps the incoming tourist will say, 'I was wrong, I won’t come again.' Therefore, we must prepare the city well. The airport is important in this regard. The airport operator and the relevant government authorities are working on this issue. I hope that the revisions on the project will be completed soon, and the expansion of the terminal will begin".
WE SHOULD HOST GUESTS WITH HIGH PURCHASING POWER
Speaking about the tourist profile in Alanya, Erdem said, "The British were the first to choose Alanya as their destination in Turkey. Over time, they shifted to other markets, and we lost them. For a period, they stopped coming. Later, they started going to the Aegean region. Now they are showing interest in our region again. I believe that if we can refresh the atmosphere of the city, there will be very positive developments in the British market in the coming period. Right now, in the Konaklı and Türkler areas, our merchants are happier compared to those in the city center because of the high concentration of British guests. Each nation has a different spending culture. The British are good in this respect. They enjoy eating out and spending money. They are economically strong. Hotel occupancy rates are good, but in the end, profitability is weak. Instead of hosting guests with low purchasing power, it is better to host those with higher purchasing power".
