ARAB TOURISTS ARE COMING TO TURKEY FOR WINTER TOURISM

With snow depth reaching 1.5 meters, the summit's 22 hotel and 5,000 bed capacity was 90% filled over the semester holiday.
Uludağ draws thousands of domestic tourists each year, with the majority coming from Istanbul, while also is a destination high in demand by foreign visitors. In the past, most foreign visitors to the region were from European or Russian nations, however this year a significant number of vacationers have arrived from the Middle East. The fact the Arab tourists tend to leave six times more in revenue than Europeans has pleased hoteliers and having hosted 150,000 domestic and foreign tourists this season thus far has brought the season's targets up.

Güneş Marmara Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Union Association (GÜMTOB) Chairman Haluk Beceren explains that this year, Russian visitors dropped, however with the influx of Arab tourists, hoteliers are pleased. Beceren states, "Our expectations for Uludağ this year are very high. It has been good thus far and the snow situation is great. I am hoping this will be an accident and problem free season. We have 22 hotels and a 5,000 bed capacity. This year there is an increase in the number of foreign visitors. Tourists from Malaysia, Russia, Middle Eastern and European countries are enjoying their winter vacations.'

"WE ARE HAPPY WITH THE INTEREST FROM ARAB TOURISTS"

Noting that Arab tourists are not day trippers and the majority that come to Uludağ tend to stay for a few nights, Beceren states, "From the start of the year, Arab tourists have been arriving to Uludağ. They stay a few days and enjoy the snow and the summit with their families. Those who experience Uludağ once will come back."