Tourism Agencies Satisfaction Survey commissioned by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality revealed the perception of 'Bursa' in the eyes of agencies.
Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, which operates in many areas from the diversification of tourism in Bursa to the promotion of the city's values in the national and international arena, has carried out an important survey study that reveals the 'Bursa perception' in tourism. The Tourism Agencies Satisfaction Survey, commissioned by the Metropolitan Municipality with the participation of 506 tourism agencies based in Istanbul, has been completed. The results of the study carried out to determine the opinions of the travel agencies about the services offered by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality in the field of tourism and to determine the analyzes that will reach the strategic predictions for increasing the tourism capacity of Bursa were discussed at the meeting attended by tourism professionals. Bursa Governor Yakup Canbolat, Metropolitan Mayor Alinur Aktaş, Bursa Regional Chamber of Tourist Guides Denizhan Sezgin, South Marmara Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Union Association President Ersin Yazıcı and TÜRSAB Southern Marmara Region Regional Meeting held at Atatürk Congress and Culture Center and attracted great interest from sector representatives. Chairman of the Board of Representatives Murat Saraçoğlu also attended.
Bursa tourism in numbers
At the meeting, Onur Karaduman, the owner of the company that conducted the research, shared the data they obtained with the participants. Agencies participating in the survey stated that Cappadocia ranks first with 15.6 percent in tourism destinations for domestic tourists in Turkey, followed by Bursa with 13.2 percent. In terms of tourism destinations for foreign tourists, Bursa ranked fourth with 19,6 percent after Istanbul, Cappadocia and Antalya. In the list of preferred tours to Bursa, cultural tourism ranked first with 76,5 percent, winter tourism ranked second with 49,7 percent, and nature tourism ranked third with 15,8 percent. In the tourism criteria index, historical cultural attractiveness, safe destination and adequacy of guide information received the highest points. Bursa got the lowest score in this regard due to the inadequacy of promotion and marketing activities, and the limited nightlife and entertainment opportunities. The countries that preferred Bursa the most were Qatar with 23.8 percent, Kuwait with 19.8 percent, Saudi Arabia with 14.1 percent and Jordan with 10,1%. Agencies emphasized that Bursa has the potential to attract more tourists from the Middle and Far East, Russia and Germany. According to the research, 89,9 percent of the tourists who come to Bursa leave the city satisfied. The most common complaints were the high prices of products and services, the inadequacy of transportation and parking facilities, and the inadequacy of nightlife and entertainment opportunities. In the study conducted with focus groups, the answers given to the question "What comes to mind first when Bursa is mentioned" were greenery, tombs, faith tourism, Ottoman, history, Hacivat Karagöz, cultural structure, Uludağ and İskender.
It will grow like a snowball
Reminding that they have implemented important works to diversify tourism and increase tourism revenues in Bursa, Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Alinur Aktaş underlined that tourism is only a subject within their service areas and that the real owner of this subject is tourism professionals. Expressing that the preparations for the Bursa Tourism Master Plan have been going on for a year, Mayor Aktaş said, “Such a study was carried out to see the perception of Bursa in the eyes of the agencies. You agree with the results, you do not agree, but there is such a table. As both our Governor's Office and the Metropolitan Municipality, we are working on the development of tourism. As Bursa, we need to think more dynamically and innovatively at this point. "I think it will grow like a snowball if we stick together in a stable and determined way," he said.
Tourism is not just money
Evaluating the results of the research, Bursa Governor Yakup Canbolat reminded that the survey also revealed that there are studies to be done in many areas from promotion to diversification of tourism. Emphasizing that it is not correct to see tourism as just making money, Governor Canbolat said, “We believe that tourism will not only make money, but also protect the identity of the city and the characteristic features of the city. We think that it is also important in terms of meeting and integrating the city with the universal culture and protecting the architectural identity and other abstract identities of the city. You make money in the industry, but tourism is also an important factor in improving your cultural background. I thank all the participants. I wish new seasons with lots of tourists for Bursa," he said.
Abdulkerim Baştürk, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Metropolitan Municipality, who made a presentation on the work they have implemented in the development of tourism in Bursa, said, “We want to integrate our tourism professionals in Bursa with the world without incurring the costs of promotion in new markets. Thus, we aim to contribute more to the national product of our country by adding development with the acceleration of tourism to our strong economy.”
The meeting ended with the sector representatives expressing their comments on the results of the survey and their opinions and suggestions regarding tourism.
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