Turkey: the next big hotel hotspot?

Turkey is being tipped as the hot spot for hotel expansion by international and regional operators, following a spate of new deals signed in the country, reports HotelierMiddleEast

Towards the end of last year, Wyndham Hotel Group introduced its namesake Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand to capital city Istanbul — the prime location for operators — as well as launching its first TRYP by Wyndham property in the city, taking the company’s presence in Turkey to 18 hotels.

Wyndham Hotel Group SVP and MD, Europe, Middle East & Africa Rui Barros told Hotelier there was plenty of potential for further development, with nine more hotels in the pipeline.

“Wyndham Hotel Group entered the Turkish market in 2007 and, since that time, has built a portfolio of 18 hotels and almost 2700 guest rooms in the country under three hotel brands,” said Barros. “Ramada is our largest brand in the country to date with 16 hotels currently operating, eight of which are in the vibrant capital of Istanbul.

“Many things make Turkey a good place to invest. Firstly, the demand is there. According to the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism there were 31.5 million international tourist arrivals in 2011. Visitors are also coming from an increasingly broad base of countries, no doubt bringing with them different requirements for their accommodation which will open up new pockets of demand.”