Advertising and Digital Promotion Activities

Digital impressions in August totalled 608 million

The Turkaegean 2, Turkish Riviera, Cappadocia, and Black Sea commercials, along with İstanbul is the New Cool 3, were broadcast on TV in over 200 countries in August. In digital media, five spots were broadcast across more than 200 countries, collecting 608 million views

Events and Organizations

TGA hosted 239 people in August

In 22 events organized across 28 cities in Türkiye, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) hosted 239 visitors, consisting of tour operators, press members, influencers and opinion leaders, from 41 countries. The highlights of the hospitality events and other organizations in August are listed below.

Between 30 July and 4 August, TGA hosted journalists from Taiwan’s leading publications on the North Aegean route. Visiting various locations in İstanbul, Çanakkale and Balıkesir, the group’s first destination was İstanbul, where they toured the Historical Peninsula, Hagia Sophia, Galata Tower, İstanbul Archaeology Museum and the Grand Bazaar. The guests then travelled to the North Aegean, the program’s main route, and toured the Ancient City of Troy and the award-winning Troy Museum, the Assos and Behramkale Temple, the Adatepe Olive Oil Museum, and the Zeus Altar in Çanakkale. In Balıkesir, the final stop on the Türkiye trip, the group visited Taksiyarhis Church, Ayvalık’s first church, as well as Ayvalık Ayazması and Satan’s Table.

The editor of Forbes magazine, a publication renowned in the United States and around the world, visited Türkiye as a guest of TGA. Hosted with a specially prepared programme in İstanbul and Muğla between 31 July and 8 August, the editor visited many of the city’s historical and touristic landmarks, including the Hagia Sophia Museum, Rahmi Koç Museum, Rüstempaşa Mosque, Galata Tower, and Kuzguncuk and Üsküdar. Following the İstanbul programme, the editor travelled to Muğla and Bodrum, touring important regional sites such as Stratonikeia Ancient City and the Underwater Archaeology Museum. In addition, the editor experienced what the city offers in various areas such as nature, history, shopping and gastronomy.

Writers for the online Goop magazine, launched by actress Gwyneth Paltrow in 2008 and featuring a large readership in the United States, visited Türkiye as guests of TGA. Hosted with a three-city hospitality programme that included İstanbul, İzmir and Nevşehir/Cappadocia, the writers enjoyed a range of experiences during their trip to Türkiye, which took place between 31 July and 8 August. The guests visited the city’s historical and tourist attractions, including the Historical Peninsula, Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Mosque, İstanbul Archaeology Museum and the Grand Bazaar. In İzmir, the group learned about Türkiye’s ancient past by visiting the Ancient City of Ephesus, the Church of the Virgin Mary, the Ephesus Archaeological Museum and the Temple of Artemis. In Cappadocia, the program’s final stop, the guest journalists visited the Göreme Open Air Museum and, in addition to a hot air balloon tour, participated in a pottery-making workshop and other regional activities.

Foreign influencers were welcomed in Türkiye for the Cappadocia Balloon and Culture Route Festival, organised as part of the Türkiye Culture Route Festivals, one of the world’s most comprehensive culture and arts projects. The 16-person group, consisting of influencers from Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, England, Brazil, Poland and Belgium, attended the hosting event held between 5-12 August, visiting numerous historical and touristic sites in Cappadocia, and participating in various festival events. Members of the group shared their experiences of Cappadocia, Türkiye’s fairy-tale land, in social media posts highlighting the country’s history, nature, culture and art.

TGA hosted journalists from Europe’s leading publications in Ağrı between 6-11 August. The group, consisting of outdoor sports journalists from France, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland, climbed to 3,200 metres as part of the Mount Ağrı Climbing programme and visited the region’s camping areas. In addition to climbing and camping, the group visited historical and natural sites in the area.

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the International Bodrum Ballet Festival, which brings together distinguished ballet and modern dance performances from Türkiye and around the world. Within the framework of the festival, TGA hosted press members from various European countries in Muğla and Bodrum between 14-17 August. Guests from Greece, Spain, France and Portugal participated in the hospitality programme in Türkiye. In Bodrum, the group learned about the city’s history, culture, art and cuisine, as well as attending various Bodrum Ballet Festival performances.

Between 15-18 August, the TGA hosted a writer from one of Italy’s oldest newspapers, Il Messaggero, in Nevşehir, where they enjoyed a variety of Cappadocia-specific experiences. The guest journalist visited the Zelve and Göreme open-air museums and Kaymaklı Underground City, as well as Mustafapaşa, one of the world’s best tourism villages. The Italian journalist also participated in regional activities such as a pottery-making workshop, a hot air balloon tour and a vineyard visit, and attended a whirling dervish show.

Foreign journalists were also invited to the Palandöken Culture Route Festival, held as part of the Türkiye Culture Route Festivals from 19-27 August. Journalists and influencers from Iran, Azerbaijan, Italy and Russia attended the Festival’s press reception, held in Erzurum from 20-23 August. Visiting Erzurum’s most important historical and touristic sites, the group also spent hours immersed in art during the Festival’s cultural and artistic activities.

The TGA invited journalists from Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, England and Saudi Arabia to visit Türkiye as part of the Sümela Cultural Road Festival. Hosted in Trabzon, Gümüşhane and Bayburt between 21-26 August, the group toured the provinces’ prominent historical, cultural and touristic values as part of the hospitality programme, visiting the Sümela Monastery, Girls (Kızlar) Monastery, and the Ortamahalle and Hagia Sophia mosques in Trabzon; Karaca Cave and Limni Lake in Gümüşhane; and the Baksı Museum, Bayburt Castle, Ulu Mosque and Kenan Yavuz Museum in Bayburt. The guests also took part in various Sümela Culture Route Festival events.

Between 22-25 August, the TGA hosted press members from Romania, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan during the Hazelnut Harvest event in the Black Sea region. Journalists attending the event enjoyed a first-hand look at the hazelnut harvest, thanks to local presentations in Giresun and Ordu. The visitors also went on excursions to the natural and touristic areas of Ordu and Giresun, traveling to Giresun’s Kuzalan Plateau and Mavi (Blue) Lake, as well as Ordu’s Boztepe, Hazelnut Museum, Gaga Lake and Yason ( Jason) Cape.

Route Hospitality

TGA invited foreign journalists to experience a special route highlighting Türkiye’s historical wealth. Press members from Hungary, Romania, Poland and Bulgaria participated in the hospitality programme, which included the cultural heritage of the Bithynia civilization, which once reigned over a geography extending from today’s İstanbul Kadıköy to Sakarya, Düzce and Bursa. The group followed the Bithynia Route from İstanbul between 15-19 August, arriving in Bolu after stops in Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bursa and Düzce. The route included stops at the former Bithynian capital, Nicomedia, in Izmit; as well as Bithynia’s city Nicaea in İznik; the Justinian Bridge in Sakarya; the Prusias and Hypium Ancient Cities and Theatre in Düzce; and the Archaeology Museum in Bolu, and the Ancient Stadion.

TGA invited Turkish journalists on a special route created to explain the regional influence once held by the Urartians, who ruled in Lake Van and the surrounding Anatolian area before the birth of Christ. Journalists from Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan visited the Urartian Ancient City Çavuştepe and the Urartian Castle, as well as the region’s special historical and touristic sites. In addition, the group visited Hoşap Castle, Akdamar Island and Akdamar Church, Van Castle and Van Archaeology Museum, and Ağrı Doğubeyazıt’s İshak Pasha Palace. The guest journalists also sample the famous Van breakfast, which stands out in the region’s gastronomical traditions.

Campaign Hospitality

TGA invited social media influencers from Northern Europe to a special event supporting the Turkish Riviera campaign. Influential social media figures from Denmark and Sweden took part in the event, which was designed to showcase the beauty of the Mediterranean and its sea-sun opportunities, history and nature. Hosted in Antalya between 23-28 August, the group toured many important historical and touristic areas of Antalya and enjoyed a wonderful culinary journey featuring delectable Mediterranean dishes. Throughout their visit, the influencers shared photos and videos of their experiences in Türkiye via their social media accounts.

International Fairs and Events

Boostcamp, which brings together amateur, recreational and professional cycling enthusiasts in Türkiye to enjoy vacation and cycling under one roof, was held in Gallipoli from 10-23 August. As part of the cycling holiday-themed Boostcamp event, local and foreign cycling enthusiasts explored the Çanakkale cycling routes.

The 35th Virtuoso Travel Week, hosted annually by Virtuoso, the world’s largest luxury tourism travel platform, was held this year from 12-18 August. Türkiye’s gastronomy, history, destinations and experience products were presented at this large meeting held in Las Vegas, USA, attended in person and virtually by more than five thousand luxury travel consultants and destination representatives from 54 countries. During the four-day event, Türkiye’s various tourism products were introduced to 144 travel consultants through one-on-one meetings.

Held between 27-30 August 2023, the 39th International ISQua Conference (Conference of the International Society for Quality in Health Care) was held in Seoul, South Korea, with the TGA collaborating with the Turkish Health Services Quality and Accreditation Institute (TÜSKA). This important conference drew more than 1,200 delegates from 70 countries and, at the Türkiye stand, participants were introduced to various aspects of Türkiye. During the Conference, it was announced that the 40th edition, taking place in 2024, will be held in İstanbul.

Provinces and Destination Promotion Activities

Within the scope of the Provincial Promotion and Development Program, which aims to promote the provinces and sub-destinations more effectively in the national and international arena, Aydın held its third board meeting, while Mardin held its seventh board meeting. Within the scope of the Provincial Promotion and Development Program, with two meetings held in August, a total of 444 meetings have been held this year to date.