Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ATSO) Chairman Yusuf Hacısüleyman said, “If the war between Russia and Ukraine ends with a ceasefire, there will be a large increase in the number of tourists. Our estimate is 20 million. Even if there is no ceasefire, the number of tourists will increase by 6 to 8 percent.” he said.
Hacısüleyman evaluated the past year and talked about his expectations for 2025 at the press conference he held at ATSO Atatürk Conference Hall.
Stating that Antalya is the city with the 6th largest economy in Turkey, Hacısüleyman stated that the city is good in tourism and agriculture but weak in industry.
Recalling that more than 17 million tourists were hosted in the city last year, Hacısüleyman said, “Antalya is the 4th city that hosts the most tourists in the world. Istanbul is in the first place, London is in the second place and Dubai is in the third place. After Paris and Antalya. We think we should be in the top three.” .” he said.
Hacısüleyman emphasized that Antalya provides a large portion of Turkey’s tourism income. Stating that 46 percent of the overnight stays in the country are in Antalya, Hacısüleyman noted that the per capita income is 979 dollars.
Underlining that the tourism sector in Antalya is strong, Hacısüleyman said, “Our expectations are higher in 2025. If the war between Russia and Ukraine ends with a ceasefire, there will be a large increase in the number of tourists. Our estimate is that it will reach 20 million. Even if there is no ceasefire, the number of tourists will increase by 6 to 8 percent.” he said.
Touching on the issue of resident foreigners living in the city, Hacısüleyman stated that the number of resident foreigners who became active after the Russia-Ukraine War dropped to around 105 thousand.
Stating that Antalya ranks first in housing sales to foreigners, Hacısüleyman said, “It is the 3rd city with the highest population growth. Every year, there is an increase as much as the Korkuteli district. We receive immigration from both domestic and abroad.” he said.
10 PERCENT OF MEMBERS ARE COMPANIES WITH FOREIGN CAPITAL
Hacısüleyman stated that ATSO has 64 thousand members, 10 percent of which are companies with foreign capital.
Emphasizing that the city has an important share in agriculture, Hacısüleyman stated that they rank first in greenhouse production.
Stating that Antalya ranks second in terms of the number of Organized Industrial Zones, Hacısüleyman said that there are 28 small industrial sites in the city.
Mayor Hacısüleyman noted that they have difficulty finding personnel in terms of employment and that they are working to encourage vocational high school graduates to pursue their professions.
Pointing out that the Syrians who took refuge in Turkey due to the civil war in Syria work especially in the agricultural sector, Hacısüleyman said, “No one expected the rapid change in Syria. We see that the change reduces the risk in the region. We see that there is a quieter life in the region compared to the past. Of course, they will want to return to their hometown.” “In this respect, we may have problems with employment.” made his assessment.