RIYADH — Turkish Airlines, the national carrier of Turkey, is promoting the fascinating traditions and spiritual experience celebrated across the cultural capital of the country throughout the holy month of Ramadan with its new ‘Ramadan in Istanbul' campaign. Paying homage to the famed religious sites and traditions from the magical Ottoman era, the campaign is now extremely popular among GCC residents, with the airline recording significant growth in tourist arrivals from the region. Passenger numbers from the Gulf were highest from Saudi Arabia in June this year followed by UAE, Kuwait and Qatar. Turkish Airlines is further building on the appeal of Turkey to GCC tourists as a popular year-round destination, which offers a unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures with the new campaign. Positioning the country as the must-visit and inspiring destination during the holy month, ‘Ramadan in Istanbul' underlines Turkey's historic traditions and monuments, complemented with state-of-the-art hospitality provided by the airline and the country. Ziya Ta?kent, Senior Vice President for Marketing & Sales of the Turkish Airlines, said: “Istanbul continues to be one of the most preferred vacation and leisure destinations for residents in the Middle East. The ‘Ramadan in Istanbul' campaign builds on the popularity and increased number of visitors witnessed in the holy month last year, especially as Turkish Airlines offers attractive fares from across the Middle East region to the capital as part of the annual travel promotion.” Istanbul, famed for its historic architectural splendor, is home to a rich Ramadan culture tracing back to the Ottoman era through holy scripts, paintings and an inherited tradition celebrated by the Turkish people. While seeped in history, the city also exudes a cosmopolitan vibe with an abundance of shopping opportunities, particularly for Ramadan gifts.
The mosques of Istanbul are celebrated throughout Ramadan, with over 3,000 in the city. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, famed worldwide as the ‘Blue Mosque,' features greetings for the holy month with its minarets being brilliantly illuminated. Other notable masterpieces and places of worship are the Suleymaniye Mosque and Eyüp Sultan Mosque. During the Ottoman period, ‘Tarweeh' night prayers were performed in the palace with hymns and this is upheld in the city's larger mosques. Istanbul's natural splendor can be enjoyed with a sunset Bosphorus cruise, a refreshing end to fasting with vistas of the historical palaces. As fast breaks each day, the city becomes alive with culinary delights of Ramadan infusing the streets including "pide' bread, rosewater, "gullac" pudding, olives and dates, particularly renowned for restoring energy. A culture of charity, the essence of Ramadan, flourishes with an abundance of Iftar dinners reflecting the friendly and hospitable nature of the Turkish people.
Architectural masterpieces on any visitor's list should include the Tokapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia, steps away from the Blue Mosque. The latter is now a museum and like other historical highlights these are open, in varied hours, throughout Ramadan. The Chamber of the Holy Mantle is highly valued as a place where rare artifacts belonging to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are on display. Shopping havens, including the Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Spice Market, pulsate with tourists and residents seeking traditional gifts for families and friends during the holy month. – SG
