AN exclusive new report published by Tophotelprojects for The Hotel Show Dubai 2015 revealed that hotel construction in Turkey is at an all-time high with 75 projects and 12,968 new rooms in the pipeline. The Hotel Show 2015 commissioned the report on the back of a 70% increase in interest from Turkish manufacturers looking to exhibit at the 16th annual event this year, set to take place in Dubai in September. “The increase in representation of local Turkish manufacturers looking to showcase their products to hoteliers and target distributers in Dubai is interesting and could be encouraged by buoyant hotel construction in that country,” said Christine Davidson, group event director of the dmg events hospitality portfolio including The Hotel Show. “It is clear that these suppliers have their eye firmly on expansion and increasing exports and we are delighted to have such a strong contingency at the show this year.” Turkey is now the 6th most visited country in the world with 41 million tourists in 2014, and its robust manufacturing industry including leather and textiles attracts a significant amount of international business travel. In 2015, Starwood Hotels and Resorts opened a new Sheraton hotel in Samsun, a city famed for its manufacturing businesses as well as providing a major port to the Black Sea. Hilton is set to open two properties in Eskisehir, another Turkish business center. The report puts Turkey in third place in the Middle East for hotel construction, behind only the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Caroline List, international sales manager at Tophotelprojects, commented: “Turkey has emerged as a leading tourist destination with a massive growth in hotel construction. Trends we have witnessed for the Turkish market include recreational complexes, which can also be used for day trips, as well as hotels with spa facilities. Hotel construction is rife in Istanbul, which currently hosts over 800 properties and 50,000 rooms, but there is a clear move towards the regional cities popular for manufacturing companies including Samsun, Eskisehir, Ankara, and Izmir.” Over 30 Turkish manufacturers are set to arrive in Dubai in September for The Hotel Show include Elemegi Furniture & Design, an architectural company undertaking turnkey hotel applications, design and restoration with the capacity of a 10,000sqm production area, and high-profile clients including Rixos, Nobu and Burberry. Porland Porselen, a leading Turkish porcelain manufacturer with production of approximately 70 million units per year. Dok-San, one of the largest home textiles manufacturers in the country. Maya Tekstil, a bedding manufacturer producing over 3,000 pillows and quilts daily. Hisar, cookware and accessories manufacturers, named one of the top 20 leading companies by IBM's “Production Systems Catalog”. Dressbest, a quality uniforms manufacturer serving for hospitality, health and spa, airlines and government entities, and Sandalyeci, furniture manufacturers who already have a showroom in Dubai and have supplied to various hotels and restaurants after exhibiting at The Hotel Show for 2 years. Engin Ertekin, The Hotel Show Dubai's Turkish representative based in Istanbul said: “Dubai, UAE and the entire Middle East are always target markets for Turkish companies for all industries. There has been a continuous and significant increase in the last few years in part due to the general economic stagnation in Europe, which is the No. 1 region for Turkey's foreign trade. This is pushing Turkish exporters to focus more on the Middle East and also to find new markets.” The Hotel Show Dubai 2015 takes place Sept. 28-30 at the Dubai World Trade Center. — SG
