Ankara, 15 June – The upcoming NATO Summit, scheduled to be held in Ankara on July 7-8, is poised to be a pivotal moment for the capital’s economy and its international standing. Berker Bülbüloğlu, a prominent figure as a member of the Ankara Chamber of Industry and President of the Ankara Tourism Association (ATD), emphasized the need for a robust strategy to capitalize on this global event.
NATO Summit: A Catalyst for Ankara’s Global Visibility
Bülbüloğlu highlighted that the summit, which will draw hundreds of foreign journalists, heads of state, government representatives, diplomats, international organization executives, and opinion leaders to Ankara, presents an unparalleled opportunity for the city. “The world’s eyes will be on Ankara during this process, offering a unique chance to promote our capital’s historical heritage, culture, gastronomy, museums, and tourism potential,” he stated.
He further elaborated that the NATO Summit is not merely a security and diplomacy agenda but also a powerful showcase for the host city to present itself to the world. This event is expected to significantly enhance Ankara’s global visibility and attract future international gatherings.
Ankara’s Evolving Identity: Beyond Diplomacy
Bülbüloğlu noted that Ankara is rapidly transforming from being solely a center for public administration and diplomacy into a hub for culture, gastronomy, international events, conferences, and experiential tourism. Recent initiatives, such as the international promotion of Gordion, Ankara’s designation as the ‘Turkish world tourism capital,’ museum investments, cultural heritage projects, and destination promotion efforts, have already significantly contributed to the city’s tourism perception.
The Ankara Tourism Association aims to support this positive momentum with new projects, further solidifying Ankara’s position as a multifaceted destination.
Economic Impact: Boosting Tourism Revenue and Lengthening Stays
Referring to Turkey’s impressive tourism revenue of over 65 billion dollars last year, with an average visitor expenditure of 1008 dollars and an average daily expenditure of approximately 100 dollars, Bülbüloğlu underscored Ankara’s potential to significantly contribute to these figures. He stressed that Ankara must evolve from a city that is merely visited to one that is experienced and talked about.
“Ankara’s average length of stay has hovered around 1.7 nights in recent years. Increasing this duration could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue for Ankara’s economy,” Bülbüloğlu explained. He emphasized the necessity of creating new destinations, events, and experiential areas to encourage visitors to stay longer. “Tourism is no longer just about places to visit but about experiences to live. Every additional day a visitor spends in Ankara directly contributes to the city’s economy.”
Ankara’s Untapped Potential in Event Economy
Bülbüloğlu pointed out that leading global cities derive a significant portion of their tourism income from international summits, conferences, fairs, cultural events, and festivals. He believes Ankara possesses the potential to compete in this arena.
“Ankara has not yet fully utilized its potential. Today, cities like Davos, Singapore, Dubai, Barcelona, and Seoul are not only recognized for their tourist attractions but also for the international events they host,” he said. “Ankara, with its diplomatic strength, transportation infrastructure, universities, cultural heritage, museums, and human resources, has the potential to be in this league. The NATO Summit can be a significant turning point in Ankara’s transition to an international event economy.”
Following the summit, Bülbüloğlu advocates for a strong strategy to ensure Ankara hosts more international conferences, tourism summits, gastronomy festivals, cultural forums, and creative industry organizations.
Shaping Ankara’s Second Century with Tourism and Culture
Bülbüloğlu revealed that new projects are being developed to enhance Ankara’s visibility through international gastronomy festivals, tourism summits, cultural forums, creative industry gatherings, diplomatic events, and experience-oriented organizations. These initiatives are expected to contribute directly to both city promotion and Ankara’s economy.
He stressed that Ankara is a strong contender to be one of the most important cities in Turkey’s ‘Century of Turkey.’ “Global organizations like the NATO Summit demonstrate that Ankara can be not only a diplomatic center but also a capital of culture, experience, gastronomy, and international gatherings,” Bülbüloğlu concluded. “Ankara’s second century will be shaped by tourism, culture, event economy, and international visibility. We will continue to work in line with this vision.”
Source: https://zafergazetesi.org/nato-zirvesinin-ankara-ekonomisine-katkisi-ne-olacak/amp
