The Fastest-Growing Members Of The Tourism Sector

Over the last two years, the bed capacity in tourism has risen by 48 percent to nearly 800,000. The “fast investors” have increased their capacity by more than the sectoral average. Over the last two years the businessman whose tourism investments have grown the fastest is Hamdi Akın, who has increased his bed capacity by approximately 16 fold.

In 2006, Turkey’s tourist bed capacity was around 530,000. By 2008, the figure had increased by 48 percent to 785,000. This means that an additional 255,000 new beds were added as a result of measures taken by the new entrants and rapid growth by existing players.
The businessman who recorded the highest growth in bed capacity was Hamdi Akin, head of Akfen Holding, with an increase of 1,576 percent. Second came Diler Holding, which has increased its bed capacity by 160 percent over the last two years.

Another group which has caught the eye is the third-ranked Joy Group. Akın Yılmaz, the head of the Joy Group, has increased bed capacity by 90 percent compared with two years ago and has overtaken TUI to rank first in total bed capacity.

The Barut and Silkar groups, which are amongst the doyens of the sector, have also rapidly increased their capacities and entered the top ten, as has new entrant Titanic Hotels, the chain owned by the Aygün Group.

Tourism Offensive From Diler Holding
Diler Holding is one of the most important groups in the iron and steel sector and has come to the fore in recent years through the investments it has made in tourism. The company’s owner Recep Sami Yazıcı made his first investment in tourism in the 750-bed Cornelia De Luxe Resort. The opening of the Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort and Spa last May meant that he ranked second in terms of the highest growth in bed capacity. Yazıcı, who increased his bed capacity by 160 percent from 750 to 1,950 within the space of two years, also has a golf club.

Silkar And Kaya Have Invested In Golf
A lot of “golf hotels” are concentrated in the Belek region. When one looks at the investors in this region, the ones who stand out as having grown the most are the Silkar and Kaya Groups.

In 2006, the Kaya Group had six facilities and 5,500 beds. Its new investments have increased the number of its facilities to eight and its bed capacity to 7,500. The group’s owner Burhanettin Kaya says that, by the end of 2008, they will have invested $150 million.

In 2006, the Silkar Group had two facilities and a bed capacity of 2,700. This figure reached 4,000 in 2008 with the opening of the Lykia World & Links Golf Antalya. Silkar Holding Board Chairman Burhan Silahtaroğlu says that he spent €100 million on the most recent investment.

Özlem Aydın
oaydin@capital.com.tr