Chairperson of MUSIAD-Netherlands, Mr. Ali Köklü,

MUSIAD Member of Board, Mr. Murat Kundak,

Distinguished Amsterdam Director of MOB-Nederland,

Distinguished Members of Dutch Travel and Tourism Sector,

I would like to welcome and congratulate the MUSIAD delegation since this is the first tourism related sectoral visit to the Netherlands. I am delighted to be here tonight to talk about the remarkable achievements of Türkiye, a true gem among global tourism destinations.

In 2023, Türkiye proudly hosted 56.7 million international visitors, witnessing a remarkable 10% year-on-year increase. Only from the Netherlands more than 1,2 million friends visited Türkiye in 2023. This is an excellent number despite the ongoing effects of post-Covid period and the earthquakes of 6 February 2023.

Istanbul, recently acknowledged in “Travel + Leisure Magazine”s "The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2024" list, continues to captivate travellers with its timeless charm. Antalya, heart of the Turkish Riviera; Bodrum, offering luxurious experiences and staying at the top of trend lists; İzmir, featured in Lonely Planet's "Best in Travel 2024," also shine as top destinations of this year.

Türkiye is also leading the way in sustainable tourism as the country became the world's first country to sign an agreement with Global Sustainable Tourism Council at government level. The launch of the National Sustainable Tourism Program marked a significant step, with over 1 million hotel beds and 10,000 tourism facilities in Türkiye already certified and verified as of December 25, 2023. Our goal is to achieve 100% compliance with international standards for all accommodation facilities by 2030.

Apart from tourism facilities, Türkiye has an impressive cultural and natural heritage, with

-19 Cultural and 2 Mixed UNESCO World Heritage Sites,

-82 sites on the UNESCO Tentative List,

-8 UNESCO Creative Cities,

-25 Intangible Cultural Heritage elements—ranking it second globally.

Furthermore, Türkiye proudly has 12 Michelin GUIDE green-starred restaurants showing its place in gastronomy. “All in Türkiye” which is an online platform assists all travel agents to deepen their knowledge about the country. The platform is especially developed for travel agents and is available in different languages including Dutch. While concluding, Türkiye stands as shining example of a mixture of tourism and culture, not only for its record-breaking figures, but also for its dedication to sustainable practices and great hospitality.