The President of ÇEŞTOB, Belge, said, “Çeşme is like a jewel, it is in our hands to polish it.”

The President of the Çeşme Union of Touristic Hoteliers and Operators (ÇEŞTOB) and Vice President of the Aegean Union of Touristic Operators and Accommodations (ETİK), Orhan Belge, emphasized the importance of promoting Çeşme tourism at international fairs, stating, “Çeşme is like a shining jewel. It is up to us to polish it.”

ÇEŞTOB President Belge noted that participation in tourism fairs in countries such as England, the Netherlands, Germany, and Azerbaijan has greatly contributed to regional tourism. He stated that they effectively promote both existing facilities and the region at these fairs, where ÇEŞTOB collaborates with the Çeşme Municipality. Emphasizing that Çeşme is like a shining jewel, Belge said, “It is up to us to polish it. Over time, we can further enhance this potential. Regardless of the circumstances, we must protect and develop the beauties of Çeşme.”

“We aim for a 50-50 ratio of domestic and foreign tourists in Çeşme”
Belge expressed that Çeşme should be a place to experience year-round, stating, “With its climate, sea, water, culture, and gastronomy, it should remain vibrant in every season. Participation in fairs during the winter period is also of great importance, as it provides opportunities for promoting Çeşme both domestically and internationally. Domestic tourism is as important to me as international tourism. We aim for a 50-50 ratio of domestic and foreign tourists in Çeşme. However, currently, this ratio stands at 75% domestic and 25% foreign. We need to undertake various efforts to increase this ratio. Çeşme is a destination with a very deep-rooted experience in tourism. Years ago, it hosted 90% foreign tourists. There is no lack of experience in this area,” he said.

“Fairs play a critical role in promoting Çeşme”
Belge pointed out that Çeşme has a unique identity, and visitors immediately feel this difference. He believes that “Çeşme should not be compared to any region, either domestically or abroad. Fairs play a critical role in promoting Çeşme. In the coming days, we will start participating in international fairs. The first fair will be the WTM (World Travel Market) Fair in London on November 5th. At this fair, I plan to have one-on-one meetings with agencies in London at the TGA (Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency) stand. Following the UK fair, there will be an important fair in December in Izmir, which is our destination. After that, there is the Utrecht Fair in the Netherlands, followed by the ITB Tourism Fair in Germany, one of the best fairs in the world. Last year, we had many appointments at the fair in Germany, and we didn’t have the chance to explore the area. It was a fair filled with intense meetings. We met more with German visitors than with Turkish citizens living in Germany. This shows that interest in Çeşme is increasing among foreign tourists. We saw the benefits of that,” he commented.

“Fish will not come to the shore by itself without casting a line”
Belge noted that during the tourism fair held in Istanbul last year, discussions with the mayors of Muğla and Çeşme made them realize the promotional deficiencies once again. “While we may think that everyone knows places like Bodrum or Çeşme in Turkey, the situation is not the same abroad. Çeşme needs to be introduced to different markets. I visited China and Iran before the pandemic. We distributed brochures in Chinese and Persian to promote Çeşme. We left them at consulates. During the pandemic, there were Chinese tourists here. Fish will not come to the shore by itself without casting a line. Therefore, we need to work hard on promotion. Everything from gastronomy to history, nature, and cultural riches is present in Çeşme. The Erythrai Ancient City is one of the most important cultural treasures of the region. The excavation in Bağlararası is also significant. For instance, Çeşme has its fountains,” he emphasized.

“Çeşme should not be compared to any other place”
Belge stated that preparations for the 2025 season should begin immediately, saying, “We should not leave promotional activities to the last minute. We must accurately promote the beauties of Çeşme to reveal its potential. We must learn from past mistakes and avoid repeating the same errors. The season ends, and perceptions fade. Çeşme should not be compared to any place. Çeşme has a unique nature and culture. It is impossible to find the quality of tourism services we offer in cities like London. We provide every kind of facility here 24/7, from technical support to service. It is quite challenging to find this quality abroad. Years ago, someone told me at a fair, ‘The quality of service you provide cannot be matched by Portugal, Spain, or Greece.’ But our biggest enemy is ourselves,” he stated.

“We receive full support from the managers in Çeşme”
Belge emphasized that they receive full support from the managers in Çeşme, stating, “Our Mayor Lal Denizli has never said ‘no’ to any requests from us. He is always by the side of tourism professionals and provides support. Our District Governor Mehmet Maraşlı also comes from a tourism background, having come from Cappadocia to Çeşme. He knows tourism. The President of the Alaçatı Tourism Association, Kerem Ünsal, is our vice president. This collaboration is very valuable for Çeşme,” he noted.

“There were no memorable negative events in Çeşme this year”
Belge expressed that there were no memorable negative events in Çeşme this year, saying, “I would like to thank our Provincial and District Police Chiefs, our Governor, and our District Governor for this. They performed their duties systematically here. Individuals who could potentially cause problems were also turned back at the highway tolls. We want everyone to be able to have a peaceful and happy vacation in Çeşme, for everyone to be happy.”

“Events are significant in increasing tourism potential”
Belge emphasized that festivals and events are important in increasing Çeşme’s tourism potential, stating, “One day our District Governor organizes an event, and another day our Çeşme Municipality does. There are continuous events in Çeşme. The Germiyan Festival held last weekend was magnificent. Our Mayor said they will increase such events. For example, the Alaçatı Herb Festival started with four tables. Today, it is known even abroad,” he said.

“We must always keep our goals high”
Belge pointed out that as of the end of October, there are still many hotels open in Çeşme, stating, “The season did not go very brightly due to economic difficulties. But it wasn’t too bad either. It was almost the same as 2023. However, our goal was to catch up with 2019 and build on that. When we look at the average for 12 months in 2019, it was magnificent. The average occupancy rate for 12 months reached about 60%. During that period, our hotels were almost 100% full in the summer season. I had said that the summer season of 2024 would be at the level of 2023. In 2023, the average for 12 months was 40%. But now we are tired of the pressure from 2019; let’s aim to be like 2025. We will strive to close the gap by 2025. The width of the season in 2019, which was the best year ever, was also very nice. Then the pandemic came. After that, we faced various issues, starting with economic difficulties. The ratios declined. In a previous interview, I had mentioned that we could exceed 100 million tourists by 2030. Now others are saying the same. Why not? We must always keep our goals high,” he emphasized.

Belge stated that October and November are contract months for hoteliers, explaining, “Then the early booking process begins, which we call ‘early booking,’ and it continues until the end of January. When this process is over, we can see a picture of how the upcoming season will go.”