A representative of a Turkish-based company, Atlas, which has officially signed up to a 49-year lease to operate a golf course on land designated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The plans are centred on an area of land at Mercimek, which borders the Zonguldakllar estate and close to the Sultan Kent and Konya Kültür housing estates on the Akbük road.
The area covers 173 acres of land on which there will be allocated a clubhouse, an 18-hole golf course and a holiday village with a capacity of 420 beds.
Mr Kinaci, a map engineer based in Milas, confirmed the project would cost $40 million (approximately £20 million) – with the golf course costing close to $10 million.
He said: “I can confirm to Voices Newspaper that Atlas has signed a 49-year lease to operate a golf course and hotel project on the land at Mercimek.
“The project has been put to public consultation and there are no objections.”
He added: “As far as we are concerned, once all the legalities are complete, Atlas will build the first golf course in Didim. It will be a major boost to tourism to the whole area.”
Atlas is a company predominantly in the steel and shipbuilding industries in Turkey. This project is believed to be their first foray into the golf tourism business.
Mr Kinaci said: “We are moving ever closer to reality. We are being extremely cautious as we want to get everything right and ensure that the news we give is accurate, clear and concrete to the public.
“We would not want to raise people’s hopes unnecessarily, but things are beginning to happen.”
He declined to give any time schedule on developing the course or when Atlas hoped to open the golf course and hotel facilities.
Seda Türk, Didim council’s planning department manager, and Meltem Öz, Didim Council’s city planner, confirmed Atlas’ interest was more than just a ‘passing one’. And they confirmed that it would provide a big boost to the tourism of the area.
On a separate note, Mayor Mümın Kamaci said representatives of an unnamed Swedish company had visited Didim council offices this week to look at the potential of building a new golf course in the area.
He said that the company had been given a number of options and they had departed back to Sweden to ‘mull over’ the proposals.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Jet2Turkey
Located on Turkey's southwestern Mediterranean coast in the Mugla Province, Dalaman is the ideal destination for tourists visiting the seaside resorts to the west and east of Dalaman such as Fethiye, Marmaris, Koycegiz, Oludeniz, Dalyan and Hisaronu. With culture, nightlife and wonderful beaches, holidays in Dalaman have something for everyone.
Flights will be from Leeds Bradford and Manchester and will start in Summer '09 so register your interest now and we will let you know before the seats go on sale so that you can plan ahead and get the best deals for your trip to Dalaman next year!
Flights will be from Leeds Bradford and Manchester and will start in Summer '09 so register your interest now and we will let you know before the seats go on sale so that you can plan ahead and get the best deals for your trip to Dalaman next year!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
didim
Prospective investors in Turkey were delighted with the recent news that the government’s temporary ban on the issue of title deeds (Tapu) to foreigners has been lifted. Now that the Turkish government has had time to re-draft the relevant law, title deeds are being processed as usual. This is welcome news for foreign investors, especially now that mortgages are more readily available in Turkey - the essential elements for overseas property investors are firmly in place.
The government’s move will reassure prospective investors looking for a good short, medium or long-term investment. The changes to the law are not expected to make any significant difference to individual foreign property investors because they primarily affect foreign companies rather than the growing numbers of foreign investors who usually buy property in officially zoned areas around cities, town and holiday resorts.
Turkey remains a popular investment location, especially now that a number of lenders are offering mortgages to non-residents. Ken Thorkildsen, Director of Obelisk Private Finance, says that Turkey’s mortgage market is evolving, particularly since the passing of the country’s new mortgage law in 2007 which allows lenders more freedom in their lending practices. “Prior to the 2007 Mortgage Law, mortgages were only available to Turkish nationals, at high, double-figure, interest rates,” explains Ken, “now non-resident property owners can take advantage of multi-currency mortgages with low fixed rates. Mortgages are available to citizens of countries with whom Turkey has a reciprocal arrangement, such as the UK and Ireland. There are a handful of lenders offering mortgages to non-residents and that is set to grow as demand increases from foreign investors.”
Now that the Tapu ban has been lifted, Land Registry offices across Turkey have restarted processing applications for the transfer of title deeds to foreign nationals. This is cause for celebration amongst investors, particularly those interested in buy-to-let. Recent survey results published by the Daily Telegraph and undertaken by independent travel group, Cooperative Travel, show that Turkey has pushed Spain from its top position as favourite holiday location for Brits, partly because of the over-valued euro, but also because the cost of living is a fraction of what it is in the UK.
Turkey is a popular tourist and investment location for a variety of reasons, not least because it is now better served by low cost airlines, making access easier and more cost effective. Most importantly, property in Turkey is still significantly cheaper than other similar locations. Now that mortgages for non-residents are gradually becoming more available and the government has passed its new Tapu law, investment in Turkey has been given the green light.
The government’s move will reassure prospective investors looking for a good short, medium or long-term investment. The changes to the law are not expected to make any significant difference to individual foreign property investors because they primarily affect foreign companies rather than the growing numbers of foreign investors who usually buy property in officially zoned areas around cities, town and holiday resorts.
Turkey remains a popular investment location, especially now that a number of lenders are offering mortgages to non-residents. Ken Thorkildsen, Director of Obelisk Private Finance, says that Turkey’s mortgage market is evolving, particularly since the passing of the country’s new mortgage law in 2007 which allows lenders more freedom in their lending practices. “Prior to the 2007 Mortgage Law, mortgages were only available to Turkish nationals, at high, double-figure, interest rates,” explains Ken, “now non-resident property owners can take advantage of multi-currency mortgages with low fixed rates. Mortgages are available to citizens of countries with whom Turkey has a reciprocal arrangement, such as the UK and Ireland. There are a handful of lenders offering mortgages to non-residents and that is set to grow as demand increases from foreign investors.”
Now that the Tapu ban has been lifted, Land Registry offices across Turkey have restarted processing applications for the transfer of title deeds to foreign nationals. This is cause for celebration amongst investors, particularly those interested in buy-to-let. Recent survey results published by the Daily Telegraph and undertaken by independent travel group, Cooperative Travel, show that Turkey has pushed Spain from its top position as favourite holiday location for Brits, partly because of the over-valued euro, but also because the cost of living is a fraction of what it is in the UK.
Turkey is a popular tourist and investment location for a variety of reasons, not least because it is now better served by low cost airlines, making access easier and more cost effective. Most importantly, property in Turkey is still significantly cheaper than other similar locations. Now that mortgages for non-residents are gradually becoming more available and the government has passed its new Tapu law, investment in Turkey has been given the green light.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Disneyland
Turkey is to build a Disneyland resort near the town of Oren, 35 kilometres south east of Milas, after reaching a deal with all parties concerned in just 3 days. Disneyland Turkey, which will rival Eurodisney Paris, is to be situated just 90 minutes from Didim.
The complex is expected to be constructed in under 2 years, planning was completed after officials visited Eurodisney Paris and Germany’s Heidi Park. It will be built over an area of 1.3m square metres and will employ a “cast” of almost 17,000 staff.
According to the news, reported in Turkey’s Hurriyet daily, all the permission from 74 authorities has been granted and construction will commence after the proposal is signed by the Council of Ministers.
Project manager, Tekin Erdogan said “The electricity station in Oren had a negative effect on tourism in the area. It was struggling to bring any tourism investment to the town. We decided a different angle was needed to attract both investors and holidaymakers. This will be bigger than the Disneyland resort in Paris.”
He also stated that there will be 5 hotels of up to 7 stars with a total capacity of 8,000; a marina is also being built close to the resort.
Animation shows with cartoons heroes, the entertainment facilities, Turkish-Ottoman and Selcuk architectural examples are projected to attract an estimated 12,000 visitors daily. People will be able to visit the Turkish Disneyland via the marina. There will also be scheduled ferry services from selected locations to the fun park.
Babakn Olcaysu who is the licence owner of the Oren Investment Concept said “The government has given its full support to the project. We got all the permissions in just 3 days. The project is expected to cost $3.2 billion. Babakn added:” This will attract tourists from all over the world, and will be of great benefit to all cities around it.”
The complex is expected to be constructed in under 2 years, planning was completed after officials visited Eurodisney Paris and Germany’s Heidi Park. It will be built over an area of 1.3m square metres and will employ a “cast” of almost 17,000 staff.
According to the news, reported in Turkey’s Hurriyet daily, all the permission from 74 authorities has been granted and construction will commence after the proposal is signed by the Council of Ministers.
Project manager, Tekin Erdogan said “The electricity station in Oren had a negative effect on tourism in the area. It was struggling to bring any tourism investment to the town. We decided a different angle was needed to attract both investors and holidaymakers. This will be bigger than the Disneyland resort in Paris.”
He also stated that there will be 5 hotels of up to 7 stars with a total capacity of 8,000; a marina is also being built close to the resort.
Animation shows with cartoons heroes, the entertainment facilities, Turkish-Ottoman and Selcuk architectural examples are projected to attract an estimated 12,000 visitors daily. People will be able to visit the Turkish Disneyland via the marina. There will also be scheduled ferry services from selected locations to the fun park.
Babakn Olcaysu who is the licence owner of the Oren Investment Concept said “The government has given its full support to the project. We got all the permissions in just 3 days. The project is expected to cost $3.2 billion. Babakn added:” This will attract tourists from all over the world, and will be of great benefit to all cities around it.”
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
tax
If you propose to invest in property abroad or take a more permanent step and live abroad, tax planning is one of the most important considerations. Obtaining tax advice – and this should be from a professional tax adviser with knowledge of tax regulations both in your home country and the country where you plan to invest – before you make any investment decisions means that you can make the most of opportunities to reduce your tax liabilities.
Within the general tax considerations of owning assets abroad is the question of inheritance tax, an aspect that many property investors tend to overlook. However, this is one area that has wide implications for the future of your heirs. Careful inheritance tax planning can make the difference between your heirs continuing to enjoy your investments or losing them to pay a large inheritance tax bill.
While inherited assets in some countries attract no inheritance taxes, in other countries taxes can be higher than 80%, particularly if the beneficiary is not a close relative. It is therefore very important to bear this in mind when making investment plans. A further issue to consider is that regardless of the country you choose to invest in or move to, you may still be liable for inheritance tax in your home country. “Inheritance tax rules have important implications for investors,” comments Ken Thorkildsen, Director of Obelisk Private Finance. “If you do not plan your inheritance tax carefully, you may find that your heirs face high tax bills both in the country where you invested and in the UK.”
In general, resident heirs pay less inheritance tax than those who are non-resident and many countries also offer generous deductions or total exemptions for beneficiaries who are direct relatives, e.g. spouse, children or parents. This is the case in Andalucía, home to the Costa del Sol, where recent legislation means that direct heirs who have been resident in the region for 5 years, are exempt from inheritance tax on assets up to the value of €175,000. Ken welcomes this recent development which he believes “has hugely positive implications for the resident ex-pat population in one of Spain’s most popular investment destinations.”
Laws on inheritance tax are complicated and inheritance tax regulations vary in individual countries. For example, Spanish law rules that in the case of a married couple, 50% of the net assets are liable for inheritance tax on first death, whereas under UK law, a married couple may be liable for 100% of the assets minus allowances. Basic familiarity with a country’s tax regimes and its implications should be a high priority for the global property investor. This coupled with expert guidance from a tax expert, can make a substantial difference to the planning of an investor’s estate and by extension, to the beneficiaries. “An essential aspect of owning assets in more than one country is to draw up a will in each country,” advises Ken. “This helps speed up the inheritance process and makes things much easier for your heirs.”
Given the complexity of inheritance regulations and the fact that in many countries they are in a state of constant change, Ken offers the following advice: “No action should be taken without consultation with a professional tax adviser. While there are many ways of reducing inheritance tax liability, only an expert can offer guidance on the right ones for you and your particular situation.”
Within the general tax considerations of owning assets abroad is the question of inheritance tax, an aspect that many property investors tend to overlook. However, this is one area that has wide implications for the future of your heirs. Careful inheritance tax planning can make the difference between your heirs continuing to enjoy your investments or losing them to pay a large inheritance tax bill.
While inherited assets in some countries attract no inheritance taxes, in other countries taxes can be higher than 80%, particularly if the beneficiary is not a close relative. It is therefore very important to bear this in mind when making investment plans. A further issue to consider is that regardless of the country you choose to invest in or move to, you may still be liable for inheritance tax in your home country. “Inheritance tax rules have important implications for investors,” comments Ken Thorkildsen, Director of Obelisk Private Finance. “If you do not plan your inheritance tax carefully, you may find that your heirs face high tax bills both in the country where you invested and in the UK.”
In general, resident heirs pay less inheritance tax than those who are non-resident and many countries also offer generous deductions or total exemptions for beneficiaries who are direct relatives, e.g. spouse, children or parents. This is the case in Andalucía, home to the Costa del Sol, where recent legislation means that direct heirs who have been resident in the region for 5 years, are exempt from inheritance tax on assets up to the value of €175,000. Ken welcomes this recent development which he believes “has hugely positive implications for the resident ex-pat population in one of Spain’s most popular investment destinations.”
Laws on inheritance tax are complicated and inheritance tax regulations vary in individual countries. For example, Spanish law rules that in the case of a married couple, 50% of the net assets are liable for inheritance tax on first death, whereas under UK law, a married couple may be liable for 100% of the assets minus allowances. Basic familiarity with a country’s tax regimes and its implications should be a high priority for the global property investor. This coupled with expert guidance from a tax expert, can make a substantial difference to the planning of an investor’s estate and by extension, to the beneficiaries. “An essential aspect of owning assets in more than one country is to draw up a will in each country,” advises Ken. “This helps speed up the inheritance process and makes things much easier for your heirs.”
Given the complexity of inheritance regulations and the fact that in many countries they are in a state of constant change, Ken offers the following advice: “No action should be taken without consultation with a professional tax adviser. While there are many ways of reducing inheritance tax liability, only an expert can offer guidance on the right ones for you and your particular situation.”
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Mortgages
Garanti Bank has begun to offer a new “non resident mortgage” to foreigners looking to purchase property in Turkey. With the new service the bank will enable foreigners to obtain lira or foreign exchange indexed loans with a maximum 240-month maturity. Foreigners will also be able to obtain loans of YTL 500,000 or the equivalent amount in foreign currency
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Tapu
A circular concerning the implementation of a bill regulating property sales to foreigners was issued Thursday. The circular restarted the process of property sales to foreigners, which had been suspended April 16 after the Constitutional Court's annulment of the existing legislation created a legal loophole.
The regulation enables foreign companies, which had previously been granted rights equal to Turkish ones to purchase real estate on the basis of the Foreign Direct Investment Law-No. 4875, to own real estate by permission of the governor's office. The regulations, which will come into effect in three months, will determine the basic aspects of how to receive this permission. As a result, no land will be sold to the companies concerned until then.
Meanwhile, companies operating in foreign countries and foreign real persons will be able to own up to 10 percent of the land within a building scheme. In addition, the area that foreigners can own will be restricted to two and a half hectares and demands by foreigners that surpass these limits will be rejected, according to the new amendment.
Parliament passed the bill regulating property sales to foreigners on July 3 after it was revised taking into consideration the Constitutional Court's annulment of previous legislation.
The regulation enables foreign companies, which had previously been granted rights equal to Turkish ones to purchase real estate on the basis of the Foreign Direct Investment Law-No. 4875, to own real estate by permission of the governor's office. The regulations, which will come into effect in three months, will determine the basic aspects of how to receive this permission. As a result, no land will be sold to the companies concerned until then.
Meanwhile, companies operating in foreign countries and foreign real persons will be able to own up to 10 percent of the land within a building scheme. In addition, the area that foreigners can own will be restricted to two and a half hectares and demands by foreigners that surpass these limits will be rejected, according to the new amendment.
Parliament passed the bill regulating property sales to foreigners on July 3 after it was revised taking into consideration the Constitutional Court's annulment of previous legislation.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
FADESA
One of Spain's major developers, Martinsa Fadesa, has filed for voluntary administration after failing to renegotiate a €150m (£119m) loan earlier this week. The company reportedly owes The debts of around €5bn (£3.98bn).
company said in a regulatory filing that it had lodged a petition for court administration, marking the start of Spain’s largest bankruptcy process since the introduction of new rules in 2004.
It follows the rescue in March of Immobiliaria Colonial by by creditor banks, which swapped debt for equity held by the controlling shareholders in Spain’s second-largest property company.
Martinsa Fadesa is the latest in a long line of Spanish property companies to run into difficulties, following the collapse of the Spanish housing market last year, after a decade or so of booming activity. Many small construction companies and property developers have either filed for protection or been absorbed by larger groups. The number of companies entering administration this year has more than doubled compared with 2007, according to lawyers.
“Filing for voluntary administration is the best way to avoid aggravating a crisis situation that could become irreversible and have serious repercussions on creditors and all shareholders' interests," said a spokesperson. "The company, along with its administrators, will from now on focus in revenue-generating, through the sale of assets and land management and restructuring the company so the project can be revived.”
company said in a regulatory filing that it had lodged a petition for court administration, marking the start of Spain’s largest bankruptcy process since the introduction of new rules in 2004.
It follows the rescue in March of Immobiliaria Colonial by by creditor banks, which swapped debt for equity held by the controlling shareholders in Spain’s second-largest property company.
Martinsa Fadesa is the latest in a long line of Spanish property companies to run into difficulties, following the collapse of the Spanish housing market last year, after a decade or so of booming activity. Many small construction companies and property developers have either filed for protection or been absorbed by larger groups. The number of companies entering administration this year has more than doubled compared with 2007, according to lawyers.
“Filing for voluntary administration is the best way to avoid aggravating a crisis situation that could become irreversible and have serious repercussions on creditors and all shareholders' interests," said a spokesperson. "The company, along with its administrators, will from now on focus in revenue-generating, through the sale of assets and land management and restructuring the company so the project can be revived.”
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Market
News in the foreign press pertaining to Turkey's real estate sector experienced a surge in the aftermath of the approval of a bill by Parliament on July 5 that regulates property sales to foreigners. The attention paid to Turkey's real estate sector, which is characterized by low prices, has been increasing, wrote British newspaper The Times, adding that prices in the sector are expected to skyrocket if Turkey manages to join the European Union.
“It is possible to purchase a property on Turkish shores at a relatively low price of 35,000 sterling (pounds). Does this sound attractive to you?” wrote the paper. “A clever couple can buy a property with a little amount of deposit and with two credit cards. Credit-card companies provide the opportunity of zero interest rates for 15 months period for those with high credit rankings,” The Times wrote.
The paper emphasized that prices in the country's real estate sector are far lower than that of the EU average. “British customers have started to settle in Turkey's popular cities such as Istanbul and coastal areas such as Antalya and Bodrum in the aftermath of the opening of Turkey's real estate market to foreign customers in 2003. The investors expect an increase in the prices of the country's real estate market if Turkey becomes a member of the European Union,” wrote the paper.
“It is possible to purchase a property on Turkish shores at a relatively low price of 35,000 sterling (pounds). Does this sound attractive to you?” wrote the paper. “A clever couple can buy a property with a little amount of deposit and with two credit cards. Credit-card companies provide the opportunity of zero interest rates for 15 months period for those with high credit rankings,” The Times wrote.
The paper emphasized that prices in the country's real estate sector are far lower than that of the EU average. “British customers have started to settle in Turkey's popular cities such as Istanbul and coastal areas such as Antalya and Bodrum in the aftermath of the opening of Turkey's real estate market to foreign customers in 2003. The investors expect an increase in the prices of the country's real estate market if Turkey becomes a member of the European Union,” wrote the paper.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Parador
Parador Properties, which had a number of overseas operations, including Cyprus, has gone into voluntary administration.
The company was once considered to be one of Europe’s top estate agents. It used to fly prospective purchasers to their desired destinations and offered advice about specific areas and communities. Simon Lambert and managing director Jack Hamilton founded Parador in 1998.
Parador’s PR company, Quay West Communications, announced: “It is with regret that Parador Properties has announced that, due to the downturn in the overseas property market, it has gone into voluntary administration. This does not affect property purchases by any of its clients, as all contracts were made between the individual client and the builder; Parador Properties acted only as an introductory agent.”
The company was once considered to be one of Europe’s top estate agents. It used to fly prospective purchasers to their desired destinations and offered advice about specific areas and communities. Simon Lambert and managing director Jack Hamilton founded Parador in 1998.
Parador’s PR company, Quay West Communications, announced: “It is with regret that Parador Properties has announced that, due to the downturn in the overseas property market, it has gone into voluntary administration. This does not affect property purchases by any of its clients, as all contracts were made between the individual client and the builder; Parador Properties acted only as an introductory agent.”
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Tapu
A DRAFT bill seeking to expand the scope of the law regulating property sales to foreigners was today (THURS) endorsed by Parliament.
The bill, which was discussed in Parliament last week, has been taken back to the Justice Commission at the last minute.
Amendments for opening up properties in prohibited military zones and strategic regions (lands) to foreigners through permission from governor's offices were sent to the Justice Commission for ratification.
This was passed, and sent back to Parliament which duly gave the title deeds lawchanges the nod. They now await being rubber-stamped by President Abdullah Gul.
During previous meetings in Parliament, the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, was forced to withdraw the regulation expanding the scope of property sales due to opposition pressure.
The regulation, which was taken back to the Committee at the last minute, enables private business enterprises in Turkey launched or contributed to by foreign investors to exercise the rights for immovable and limited property for conducting their operations enumerated in main contracts.
The same principal will be valid in case immovable properties are transferred to another company with foreign investment or in case an immovable owned company with national capital becomes foreign owned through share transfer.
Acquisitions of companies in strategic properties under Article No 28 of the Law on Prohibited Military Zones and Security Zones and in military zones, security zones and some strategic lands enumerated in the same law, will be subject to the permission of governor under whose jurisdiction the related property falls.
The demand for permission will be decided after an evaluation of the acquisition's conformity with the country's security and operation field, in the commission established with the participation of related representatives within the governor's office.
The draft bill handled by Parliament for property sales to foreigners, maintains foreign persons and institutions can possess immovable lands, 10 percent of the total land, within the frameworks of zoning implementation plan and piecemeal plan, while the regulation expands the scope of possessing properties.
The bill, which was discussed in Parliament last week, has been taken back to the Justice Commission at the last minute.
Amendments for opening up properties in prohibited military zones and strategic regions (lands) to foreigners through permission from governor's offices were sent to the Justice Commission for ratification.
This was passed, and sent back to Parliament which duly gave the title deeds lawchanges the nod. They now await being rubber-stamped by President Abdullah Gul.
During previous meetings in Parliament, the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, was forced to withdraw the regulation expanding the scope of property sales due to opposition pressure.
The regulation, which was taken back to the Committee at the last minute, enables private business enterprises in Turkey launched or contributed to by foreign investors to exercise the rights for immovable and limited property for conducting their operations enumerated in main contracts.
The same principal will be valid in case immovable properties are transferred to another company with foreign investment or in case an immovable owned company with national capital becomes foreign owned through share transfer.
Acquisitions of companies in strategic properties under Article No 28 of the Law on Prohibited Military Zones and Security Zones and in military zones, security zones and some strategic lands enumerated in the same law, will be subject to the permission of governor under whose jurisdiction the related property falls.
The demand for permission will be decided after an evaluation of the acquisition's conformity with the country's security and operation field, in the commission established with the participation of related representatives within the governor's office.
The draft bill handled by Parliament for property sales to foreigners, maintains foreign persons and institutions can possess immovable lands, 10 percent of the total land, within the frameworks of zoning implementation plan and piecemeal plan, while the regulation expands the scope of possessing properties.
Tourism
Tourist arrivals to Turkey increased by 15 percent over the first six months in comparison with the first half of 2007, according to figures published by the Turkish Hotels Federation, or TÜROFED, yesterday.
“The first half of 2008 has been a good season. We expect the growth to continue for the rest of the year,” Ahmet Barut, chairman of TÜROFED, told reporters in Istanbul.
“Especially in Antalya, Muğla, İzmir and Istanbul, the sector grew 18-19 percent. This is a very pleasing development. We expect to end this year with 27 million tourists. For the year ahead, our expectation is to host 30 million tourists,” Barut said.
Politics and Turkey's image
Responding to a question related to the recent arrests of former generals and journalists critical of the current Justice and Development Party, or AKP, government Barut said the political developments are unlikely to have a major impact on the industry, but can reflect on the country's overall image abroad. “However, of course, all kinds of standards such as physical and legislative infrastructure, life standards, democratic standards are values that can either improve or worsen the image of a country,” he said.
The recent increase in electricity prices, on the other hand, is likely to balance out some of the growth in the sector, Barut added. Electricity prices in Turkey were increased by 22 percent in late June. “The increased electricity prices can increase costs by YTL 25,000 for a single hotel during the season,” he noted.
UK, the Netherlands lead arrivals in Muğla
In Muğla province tourist arrivals by air and sea increased by 16 percent in comparison with the same period last year. Muğla Governor Ahmet Altıparmak told reporters yesterday that some 947,040 foreign tourists visited the province's resorts including Marmaris, Fethiye, Bodrum, Dalaman and Datça over the first six months of the current year. Last year the corresponding figure was 816,961. The largest share of tourists to Muğla arrived from the United Kingdom (426,893 people) and the second-largest group from the Netherlands (69,678 people).
“The first half of 2008 has been a good season. We expect the growth to continue for the rest of the year,” Ahmet Barut, chairman of TÜROFED, told reporters in Istanbul.
“Especially in Antalya, Muğla, İzmir and Istanbul, the sector grew 18-19 percent. This is a very pleasing development. We expect to end this year with 27 million tourists. For the year ahead, our expectation is to host 30 million tourists,” Barut said.
Politics and Turkey's image
Responding to a question related to the recent arrests of former generals and journalists critical of the current Justice and Development Party, or AKP, government Barut said the political developments are unlikely to have a major impact on the industry, but can reflect on the country's overall image abroad. “However, of course, all kinds of standards such as physical and legislative infrastructure, life standards, democratic standards are values that can either improve or worsen the image of a country,” he said.
The recent increase in electricity prices, on the other hand, is likely to balance out some of the growth in the sector, Barut added. Electricity prices in Turkey were increased by 22 percent in late June. “The increased electricity prices can increase costs by YTL 25,000 for a single hotel during the season,” he noted.
UK, the Netherlands lead arrivals in Muğla
In Muğla province tourist arrivals by air and sea increased by 16 percent in comparison with the same period last year. Muğla Governor Ahmet Altıparmak told reporters yesterday that some 947,040 foreign tourists visited the province's resorts including Marmaris, Fethiye, Bodrum, Dalaman and Datça over the first six months of the current year. Last year the corresponding figure was 816,961. The largest share of tourists to Muğla arrived from the United Kingdom (426,893 people) and the second-largest group from the Netherlands (69,678 people).
Friday, June 27, 2008
Belek
Istanbul-based Kayı Real Estate Investment is undertaking construction of houses in its residential Ka Golf Belek project, where prices range from 83,000 to 168,000 euros.
The size of the houses in the project with 1+1, 2+1 and 3+1 floor plans, which are located in Antalya's Belek region, ranges from 70 to 143 square meters. The project is comprised of 122 houses and 20 villas of different types and sizes, and the construction of 24 houses has already been completed. The Ka Golf Belek project has attracted the attention of foreign investors in particular.
Meanwhile, Kayı Real Estate Investment has also started the construction of putting greens and chipping greens golf courses, 500 square meters in size, for residents of the housing complex, as the area is located in the vicinity of 16 golf courses in Belek. Residents of the project will be able to use these areas at no charge. The Ka Golf Belek project also provides a wide range of opportunities for residents, such as maintenance that continue after the sale of the houses, garden care and private security facilities.
The size of the houses in the project with 1+1, 2+1 and 3+1 floor plans, which are located in Antalya's Belek region, ranges from 70 to 143 square meters. The project is comprised of 122 houses and 20 villas of different types and sizes, and the construction of 24 houses has already been completed. The Ka Golf Belek project has attracted the attention of foreign investors in particular.
Meanwhile, Kayı Real Estate Investment has also started the construction of putting greens and chipping greens golf courses, 500 square meters in size, for residents of the housing complex, as the area is located in the vicinity of 16 golf courses in Belek. Residents of the project will be able to use these areas at no charge. The Ka Golf Belek project also provides a wide range of opportunities for residents, such as maintenance that continue after the sale of the houses, garden care and private security facilities.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Football
Turkish high school history lessons recall stories of how only hundreds of brave Turkish soldiers, and not more, secured great victories against “the mighty armies of the western countries.” The stories may sound exaggerated, but a Turkish victory tonight on the football pitch will be no less important than David killing Goliath.
The Turkish national football squad takes on Germany tonight in Basel's St-Jakob Park Stadium in the semifinal of the 2008 European Championship, or EURO 2008. Turkey's path to the final seems a difficult one, not only because of the past Euro Cup success of the German opponent, which can boast of 10 appearances, three titles and two final losses, but also due to the number of injured and suspended Turkish players.
“Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win," legendary English footballer, Gary Lineker, once said, but the depleted Turks are ready to do anything to avoid that sort of destiny in Turkey's first-ever European semifinal.
The 23-man Turkish squad is now down to 13 players, the latest blow being striker Nihat Kahveci, who left the team Sunday to start treatment in Spain for a groin injury. In addition to Nihat, Emre Güngör will also miss out on the game, and the presence of three other players, Servet Çetin, Emre Belözoğlu and Tümer Metin remains extremely doubtful.
Goalkeeper Volkan Demirel will be suspended for the second and last time due to his two-match suspension for a red card. Emre Aşık, Tuncay Şanlı and Arda Turan are also suspended after picking up two yellow cards each.
The team has lost almost half of its players, but coach Fatih Terim, or “The Emperor,” a nickname the foreign press has taken over from the Turkish media, is confident that his side will have a shot against Germany as long as he can field 11 players. He even considers using third-choice goalkeeper Tolga Zengin as an outfield player if necessary.
"He [Tolga] could come on toward the end as a sub as last man (in defense) or a center forward," Terim told reporters, and he is not worried about facing the three-time champion.
"We have shown several times already that we can achieve the impossible. I have faith in my team and in our ability to reach the final," said the Turkey coach.
Terim is a prominent, but also controversial figure in Turkish football. His squad selection for the tournament was heavily criticized in the Turkish media, and after Turkey lost its first game against Portugal 2-1, football pundits were ready to send him to the gallows. But the Turks' performance since that game has been sensational. After staging three amazing comebacks to reach the semifinals they are now called the “comeback kings,” and the man behind this success is no one other than Terim himself, whose motto is “nothing is impossible, miracles just take time.”
"Our coach is incredible, he doesn't let you get your head down,” said Kazım Kazım. “When you get your head down he shouts at you straight away and believe me, when that man shouts - you look. He's all about belief."
Turkey, with so many absentees in midfield, will be desperate to make best use of an “insider” against Germany: Hamit Altıntop, a German-Turk who plays for Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. Altıntop thinks that team sprit will be the key to victory.
"I'm not worried about the absentees, our greatest strength is our emotion and passion,” said Altıntop. "There is an excellent spirit in the team. I'm sure we can progress to the final."
The coach believes in his team, the players are confident, the Turks all over the world are hopeful. They are all ready for a historic night, and a historic night it will be.
The Turkish national football squad takes on Germany tonight in Basel's St-Jakob Park Stadium in the semifinal of the 2008 European Championship, or EURO 2008. Turkey's path to the final seems a difficult one, not only because of the past Euro Cup success of the German opponent, which can boast of 10 appearances, three titles and two final losses, but also due to the number of injured and suspended Turkish players.
“Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win," legendary English footballer, Gary Lineker, once said, but the depleted Turks are ready to do anything to avoid that sort of destiny in Turkey's first-ever European semifinal.
The 23-man Turkish squad is now down to 13 players, the latest blow being striker Nihat Kahveci, who left the team Sunday to start treatment in Spain for a groin injury. In addition to Nihat, Emre Güngör will also miss out on the game, and the presence of three other players, Servet Çetin, Emre Belözoğlu and Tümer Metin remains extremely doubtful.
Goalkeeper Volkan Demirel will be suspended for the second and last time due to his two-match suspension for a red card. Emre Aşık, Tuncay Şanlı and Arda Turan are also suspended after picking up two yellow cards each.
The team has lost almost half of its players, but coach Fatih Terim, or “The Emperor,” a nickname the foreign press has taken over from the Turkish media, is confident that his side will have a shot against Germany as long as he can field 11 players. He even considers using third-choice goalkeeper Tolga Zengin as an outfield player if necessary.
"He [Tolga] could come on toward the end as a sub as last man (in defense) or a center forward," Terim told reporters, and he is not worried about facing the three-time champion.
"We have shown several times already that we can achieve the impossible. I have faith in my team and in our ability to reach the final," said the Turkey coach.
Terim is a prominent, but also controversial figure in Turkish football. His squad selection for the tournament was heavily criticized in the Turkish media, and after Turkey lost its first game against Portugal 2-1, football pundits were ready to send him to the gallows. But the Turks' performance since that game has been sensational. After staging three amazing comebacks to reach the semifinals they are now called the “comeback kings,” and the man behind this success is no one other than Terim himself, whose motto is “nothing is impossible, miracles just take time.”
"Our coach is incredible, he doesn't let you get your head down,” said Kazım Kazım. “When you get your head down he shouts at you straight away and believe me, when that man shouts - you look. He's all about belief."
Turkey, with so many absentees in midfield, will be desperate to make best use of an “insider” against Germany: Hamit Altıntop, a German-Turk who plays for Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. Altıntop thinks that team sprit will be the key to victory.
"I'm not worried about the absentees, our greatest strength is our emotion and passion,” said Altıntop. "There is an excellent spirit in the team. I'm sure we can progress to the final."
The coach believes in his team, the players are confident, the Turks all over the world are hopeful. They are all ready for a historic night, and a historic night it will be.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Turkey
Just as Turkey looks as if it is shaping up to become the next major holiday-home and investment destination, its government has stopped title deeds being issued to foreigners.
Safe as houses: Bodrum Castle overlooks the lively old town. The peninsula is popular with British and Turkish buyers alike
The country did it for six months in 2005, too, in an attempt to prevent large tracts of rural land being bought up. The latest ban - announced in April and awaiting ratification in parliament - has a similar purpose, limiting foreign ownership to 10 per cent of the land in any town.
Agents selling in Turkey expect the restriction to be lifted soon. "I don't see it as a problem, as you could never expect to receive your title deeds within three months anyway," says Julian Walker from Turkish property specialist Spot Blue. "For anyone buying now, the suspension will have ended by the time they reach completion."
Even 10 per cent foreign ownership of land is a high figure that is unlikely to ever be met, Walker points out. "Even in Spain, 95 per cent of sales are to the domestic market. In Turkey, there are 77,000 foreign property owners out of a population of 77 million, which is 0.1 per cent, so 10 per cent is light years away," he says.
"You have to remember Turkey is a poor country, 20 years behind the West in its property market, laws and business practice. And even though finance is available, it is also still typically a cash market."
advertisementApart from this blip, Turkey's property market is proving resilient, with prices expected to rise by 10-15 per cent this year, says Knight Frank.
The currency exchange company Moneycorp reports that British interest in Turkish property has trebled in the past year. A NatWest survey of mortgage lenders predicts that Turkey - where 22,650 Brits own property - will be the third most popular
destination for UK buyers in the next three years, with most sticking to the area between Kusadasi on the Aegean coast and Alanya on the Med.
In its attempts to double tourist numbers to 10 million by 2010, the Turkish government is investing in infrastructure and attractions, including new golf courses in Dalaman and Belek.
It is also encouraging new air routes and airport expansion. EasyJet now flies to Dalaman and Istanbul, BA to Antalya. A new international airport at Edremit will open up areas around Ayvalik, north of Izmir - until now, despite good beaches, great windsurfing and attractive property, the preserve of Turkish buyers.
Beyond its appeal as a value-for-money location for holiday homes - outside pricier Istanbul or Bodrum, the average two-bedroom apartment costs £35,000-£90,000 - Turkey is also drawing investors to Istanbul, where new development is taking place on both sides of the Bosphorus.
Prices average about £700-£900 per square metre, with studios from £40,000 in developments such as Life Studio near Ataturk international airport (through The Right Move Abroad), or Astrum Towers, six miles from the airport, which agent Regnum predicts will see annual growth of 30 per cent.
So, this Christmas - or whenever the restrictions ease - why not vote for Turkey?
BODRUM FAR FROM HUMDRUM
Lively resorts, leisure facilities and low-priced newbuild properties make the Bodrum peninsula one of Turkey's best-known areas for British visitors, while quieter spots such as Yalikavak and Gumusluk appeal to wealthy Turkish property buyers wanting £1m-plus villas.
"Bodrum is one of the most popular coastal regions," says Jane Griffiths, managing director of Regnum, "and Turkey's appeal is widening to take in growing numbers of Eastern European holidaymakers as well as British. Small apartments can achieve rents of £300 a week."
Safe as houses: Bodrum Castle overlooks the lively old town. The peninsula is popular with British and Turkish buyers alike
The country did it for six months in 2005, too, in an attempt to prevent large tracts of rural land being bought up. The latest ban - announced in April and awaiting ratification in parliament - has a similar purpose, limiting foreign ownership to 10 per cent of the land in any town.
Agents selling in Turkey expect the restriction to be lifted soon. "I don't see it as a problem, as you could never expect to receive your title deeds within three months anyway," says Julian Walker from Turkish property specialist Spot Blue. "For anyone buying now, the suspension will have ended by the time they reach completion."
Even 10 per cent foreign ownership of land is a high figure that is unlikely to ever be met, Walker points out. "Even in Spain, 95 per cent of sales are to the domestic market. In Turkey, there are 77,000 foreign property owners out of a population of 77 million, which is 0.1 per cent, so 10 per cent is light years away," he says.
"You have to remember Turkey is a poor country, 20 years behind the West in its property market, laws and business practice. And even though finance is available, it is also still typically a cash market."
advertisementApart from this blip, Turkey's property market is proving resilient, with prices expected to rise by 10-15 per cent this year, says Knight Frank.
The currency exchange company Moneycorp reports that British interest in Turkish property has trebled in the past year. A NatWest survey of mortgage lenders predicts that Turkey - where 22,650 Brits own property - will be the third most popular
destination for UK buyers in the next three years, with most sticking to the area between Kusadasi on the Aegean coast and Alanya on the Med.
In its attempts to double tourist numbers to 10 million by 2010, the Turkish government is investing in infrastructure and attractions, including new golf courses in Dalaman and Belek.
It is also encouraging new air routes and airport expansion. EasyJet now flies to Dalaman and Istanbul, BA to Antalya. A new international airport at Edremit will open up areas around Ayvalik, north of Izmir - until now, despite good beaches, great windsurfing and attractive property, the preserve of Turkish buyers.
Beyond its appeal as a value-for-money location for holiday homes - outside pricier Istanbul or Bodrum, the average two-bedroom apartment costs £35,000-£90,000 - Turkey is also drawing investors to Istanbul, where new development is taking place on both sides of the Bosphorus.
Prices average about £700-£900 per square metre, with studios from £40,000 in developments such as Life Studio near Ataturk international airport (through The Right Move Abroad), or Astrum Towers, six miles from the airport, which agent Regnum predicts will see annual growth of 30 per cent.
So, this Christmas - or whenever the restrictions ease - why not vote for Turkey?
BODRUM FAR FROM HUMDRUM
Lively resorts, leisure facilities and low-priced newbuild properties make the Bodrum peninsula one of Turkey's best-known areas for British visitors, while quieter spots such as Yalikavak and Gumusluk appeal to wealthy Turkish property buyers wanting £1m-plus villas.
"Bodrum is one of the most popular coastal regions," says Jane Griffiths, managing director of Regnum, "and Turkey's appeal is widening to take in growing numbers of Eastern European holidaymakers as well as British. Small apartments can achieve rents of £300 a week."
Friday, June 13, 2008
golf
FOUR investors have visited Didim this week to investigate the potential of kick-starting the much-vaunted golf course projects.
Two Swedish and two Turkish groups visited the area to look at land off the road on the way to Akbük which has been allocated by government ministers for golf tourism.
The visit on Wednesday (June 11) came two years after Spanish company FADESA investigated the potential of setting up a top quality golf course in Didim, but declined to follow up their interest.
The four investors visited Mayor Mümin Kamacı and the Didim Estate Agencies Association before the association’s deputy chairman Sevim Külekçi took them on a site visit. The investors left Didim the same day.
One investor Fuat Yücel, speaking to Voices Newspaper by phone, said they were pleased with the visit. He added: “We want to be involved in golf tourism with our foreign partners in the Aegean region and we see great potential in Didim.
“We have a planned budget of 20 million Euros for a project, but we still need to investigate other areas in Bodrum and Ayvalık before we make a firm decision.
“If we decide on Didim, we will open the golf course in three years.”
Two Swedish and two Turkish groups visited the area to look at land off the road on the way to Akbük which has been allocated by government ministers for golf tourism.
The visit on Wednesday (June 11) came two years after Spanish company FADESA investigated the potential of setting up a top quality golf course in Didim, but declined to follow up their interest.
The four investors visited Mayor Mümin Kamacı and the Didim Estate Agencies Association before the association’s deputy chairman Sevim Külekçi took them on a site visit. The investors left Didim the same day.
One investor Fuat Yücel, speaking to Voices Newspaper by phone, said they were pleased with the visit. He added: “We want to be involved in golf tourism with our foreign partners in the Aegean region and we see great potential in Didim.
“We have a planned budget of 20 million Euros for a project, but we still need to investigate other areas in Bodrum and Ayvalık before we make a firm decision.
“If we decide on Didim, we will open the golf course in three years.”
Friday, June 6, 2008
Golf
For decades, the only intersection between golf and turkey was a club sandwich in the grillroom. But Turkey, the country that sits at the timeless crossroads between East and West and has been a cradle of civilizations, is now embracing another culture-crossing endeavor: golf.
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The only question is what took so long. Turkey's Mediterranean coast, first colonized by the Greeks and later controlled by the Romans, fronts an azure-blue sea long popular among sun-starved Europeans.
They have been arriving to eat tasty kebabs at outdoor cafes overlooking the sea, to savor aromatic tea or strong Turkish coffee with the ebullient locals, to peruse local markets for hand-woven kilims and other handicrafts, and perhaps most of all to see the imprint of history. The world's first agrarian settlers put down roots in the south of Turkey in 9,000 B.C. Other visitors have included Alexander the Great, who wrested the Anatolian peninsula from the Persians in 334 B.C., and St. Paul, who traveled to the south of Turkey on his first missionary journey.
Nowadays, it's the people who are the big attraction. Unfailingly courteous and welcoming, modern-day Turks consider hospitality both a civic duty and a source of pride. While predominantly Muslim, Turkey, a longtime NATO member and strong American ally, is a modern secular republic. As such, the nation is very tolerant of Western lifestyles.
So the Tourism Ministry pointed to Belek, 25 miles east of the walled port city of Antalya, as the area to develop for visiting golfers. It was a good choice. Set back from the shore beneath the Taurus Mountains, which rise to more than 10,000 feet and are snow-capped in winter, sits rolling, sand-based terrain covered in umbrella pines and eucalyptus trees.
The obvious comparisons are to Spain's Costa del Sol and Portugal's Algarve. Belek lacks their inventory of courses, but the region's well-preserved classical sites outshine those of any golf destination in Western Europe. Each site in this area, an hour's flight from Istanbul, opens a window to a lost world, offering an unforgettable outdoor history lesson.
At present, Belek has nine courses open for play; five will open soon, with several more on the drawing board. Many are attached to resort hotels strung along the beachfront. With each new course opening, Turkey, with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, raises its profile as a winter golf destination. It's not quite the Myrtle Beach of the Med, but it is a land that gave Alexander the Great a tussle and delights those who enjoy retracing history's footsteps.
As for golf, it's a modern golfer making history of his own who fascinates young Turks keen on the game. Tiger Woods is their idol; once they find out you're an American, they ask you what he's like. Not as a golfer. As a person.
Mainstays
Debuted in 1994, Belek's first course was the National Golf Club, by the Irish duo of David Jones and David Feherty. A clever blend of British and American features, the gently rolling layout wanders through a forest of eucalyptus and pine, with several natural lakes in play. The distant Taurus Mountains loom into view at several holes. It's a subtle, lay-of-the-land design with small greens and enough length at 6,896 yards to keep better players honest.
Host of a European Seniors Tour event in 1996-97, National sets the standard for the area. The courses that have cropped up since, all within a 20-minute drive of each other, range from very good to excellent. Tat Golf Belek International Golf Club (Tat means "taste" in Turkish) is a relatively flat 27-hole layout by Englishman Martin Hawtree, a third-generation designer. Opened in 1997, it offers a diverse mix of inland, tree-lined holes as well as links-style holes stretched along the beachfront, with a river in play at roughly half the holes. Tat's only failing is its conditioning, which can be iffy.
The region's sleeper course is Robinson Club Nobilis, which occupies the site of a former Roman settlement. English course architect Dave Thomas routed holes through tall umbrella pines near the Acisu River, the landing areas and slick bentgrass greens staked out by rolled-down, grass-faced bunkers. And just in case you neglected to remember where you are, there's a colonnaded clubhouse and a statue of Julius Caesar swinging a club atop a Roman arch to remind you.
Belek's largest facility is the 45-hole Gloria Golf Resort. The Old course was laid out in 1997 by Michel Gayon, a little-known Frenchman who created an impressive, tree-lined venue that emphasizes the tee shot: The layout's seemingly wide, inviting fairways actually call for well-positioned drives to open up a clear shot to the green.
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The major-domo at Gloria is Tony Martin, a former European Tour player who has tirelessly promoted Turkey as a first-class destination. "The future of golf tourism in this country is looking very positive," he says. "Some compare Turkey with Spain 30 years ago, but we are moving faster here and the quality and service are higher."
The region's most recent developments have given Belek enough critical mass to enter the big leagues. The 36-hole Antalya Golf Club, opened in 2002, occupies gently rolling terrain and has a different look than the region's other courses. With fewer trees and numerous lakes, it could almost pass for a Florida spread. The Sultan, at 7,011 yards, is a pro-style test; the Pasha, relatively short at 6,268 yards, compensates with small, very undulating greens.
Top Newcomer
Cornelia Golf Club is a superb 27-hole facility that amply justifies the long journey. Named for a beloved Roman matron, Cornelia opened its Nick Faldo-designed Tiberius and Sempronia nines last November. The Gaius nine will debut this fall. (The nines are named for Cornelia's children.) The core 18 is, without question, the top course in Turkey. Cornelia was revered in the ancient world for her character; the club will share her reputation.
Faldo was a tactical thinker as a player, and it shows in his course designs. On a sandy, pine-clad site with a broad dune ridge running through the center of the property, Faldo created a strategic gem. Straightaway holes are in short supply at Cornelia. Par 5s are subtly Z-shaped or make hairpin turns through the woods. Among the more memorable holes is Tiberius' short par-4 7th, called "Faldo's Choice." The safe play is to the higher ground, though big hitters can take dead aim over sandy wasteland and trees to a sprawling green that slopes to three deep bunkers intended to swallow pushed shots. Cornelia is an eco-sensitive design that shelters hundreds of plant and bird species, notably the hooded owl, symbol of the Belek region.
Coming Attractions
Belek's newest venue is Papillon Golf Resort, which is scheduled to open its Colin Montgomerie design in late 2007. While more open than Cornelia, the course's site, a mixed pine forest interspersed by sandy ridges, is exceptional. The resort is angling to host a European Tour event. The ribbon-cutting will continue this fall at Sueno Golf Club, its Pines and Dunes courses proceeding from a new hotel. Pines is the region's longest course to date at 7,057 yards.
Thirty minutes east of Belek is Lykia Links, yet another newcomer scheduled to open this fall. The nearly treeless course by Perry Dye is set along the sandy shore a stone's throw from the beach. Looking ahead, Carya Golf Club, a heathland-style course by Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the firm founded by Australian great Peter Thomson, will debut next year. Like Cornelia, the expansive site, a mere 200 yards from the beach, is bisected by a sandy ridge and is heavily forested.
Hotels
Arguably the finest property in Belek is the Kempinski Hotel The Dome, a 157-room resort that fronts a private beach and is next to Antalya Golf Club. The hotel's ornate architecture was inspired by the Seljuk dynasty, which dates to the 11th century. The Dome Spa is one of the largest spa and Thalasso facilities in Turkey.
Among the newcomers, the top choices are Gloria Serenity Resort, a nicely landscaped, low-density property with 270 rooms and three a la carte restaurants, and the 178-room Sueno Hotels Golf Belek, which fronts a pair of courses and is slated to open in late 2007.
History Lessons
Belek is a perfect base for exploring the region's antiquities. Perge bears the imprints of a once-prosperous, well-planned Roman city: stadium, handsome theater and extensive baths. A pair of Hellenistic towers marks the entry to the city. The grooves in the paving stones are ruts worn by chariot wheels. St. Paul preached here on his first missionary journey.
Equally impressive is Aspendos, which boasts one of the best-preserved Roman theaters in the world-it is still in use with seating for 15,000. Aspendos also has an impressive aqueduct that traverses the valley, another superb example of Roman engineering.
Moving to the east is Side, one of Turkey's best-known classical sites. This lovely seaside town was founded by early Greeks, but its touchstones are mostly Roman. A popular resort, Side's narrow streets are lined with merchants selling handcrafted leather goods and jewelry. There are beautiful seaside temples dedicated to Apollo and Athena and a unique archeology museum contained in a Roman bathhouse.
An hour's drive west of Belek is Antalya, an ancient city (founded in 159 B.C.) with a modern pulse and a population of 1.1 million. The most important remains are the Roman city walls and Hadrian's Gate, built in honor of the emperor's visit. However, a distinctive fluted minaret of red brick, built by a sultan in the 13th century, is Antalya's most distinctive landmark.
Cuisine
Turkish cuisine is as varied as its history. Mezes, or appetizers, are usually served cold, running the gamut from elaborately stuffed vegetables to imam bayildi-slow-roasted baby eggplant topped with fried onions and tomatoes, and seasoned with garlic. Kebabs-marinated cubes of meat, often lamb, grilled with vegetables on a skewer-are excellent. As a main course, all preparations of lamb are recommended. Fresh fish, notably sea bass, is seasoned simply with olive oil and lemon and grilled whole. Save room for dessert. Baklava-a Turkish pastry made with phyllo dough, honey and chopped nuts-is rich and satisfying.
Turkish coffee -- dark, strong and a little gritty -- is an acquired taste. The local beer is Efes Pilsen, a fine pilsner. Raki, Turkey's national drink, is made from grapes and aniseed, and is similar to Greek ouzo. It's usually served as an aperitif. How you end the meal -- and the end of a day of Turkish golf and sightseeing -- is up to you.
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The only question is what took so long. Turkey's Mediterranean coast, first colonized by the Greeks and later controlled by the Romans, fronts an azure-blue sea long popular among sun-starved Europeans.
They have been arriving to eat tasty kebabs at outdoor cafes overlooking the sea, to savor aromatic tea or strong Turkish coffee with the ebullient locals, to peruse local markets for hand-woven kilims and other handicrafts, and perhaps most of all to see the imprint of history. The world's first agrarian settlers put down roots in the south of Turkey in 9,000 B.C. Other visitors have included Alexander the Great, who wrested the Anatolian peninsula from the Persians in 334 B.C., and St. Paul, who traveled to the south of Turkey on his first missionary journey.
Nowadays, it's the people who are the big attraction. Unfailingly courteous and welcoming, modern-day Turks consider hospitality both a civic duty and a source of pride. While predominantly Muslim, Turkey, a longtime NATO member and strong American ally, is a modern secular republic. As such, the nation is very tolerant of Western lifestyles.
So the Tourism Ministry pointed to Belek, 25 miles east of the walled port city of Antalya, as the area to develop for visiting golfers. It was a good choice. Set back from the shore beneath the Taurus Mountains, which rise to more than 10,000 feet and are snow-capped in winter, sits rolling, sand-based terrain covered in umbrella pines and eucalyptus trees.
The obvious comparisons are to Spain's Costa del Sol and Portugal's Algarve. Belek lacks their inventory of courses, but the region's well-preserved classical sites outshine those of any golf destination in Western Europe. Each site in this area, an hour's flight from Istanbul, opens a window to a lost world, offering an unforgettable outdoor history lesson.
At present, Belek has nine courses open for play; five will open soon, with several more on the drawing board. Many are attached to resort hotels strung along the beachfront. With each new course opening, Turkey, with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, raises its profile as a winter golf destination. It's not quite the Myrtle Beach of the Med, but it is a land that gave Alexander the Great a tussle and delights those who enjoy retracing history's footsteps.
As for golf, it's a modern golfer making history of his own who fascinates young Turks keen on the game. Tiger Woods is their idol; once they find out you're an American, they ask you what he's like. Not as a golfer. As a person.
Mainstays
Debuted in 1994, Belek's first course was the National Golf Club, by the Irish duo of David Jones and David Feherty. A clever blend of British and American features, the gently rolling layout wanders through a forest of eucalyptus and pine, with several natural lakes in play. The distant Taurus Mountains loom into view at several holes. It's a subtle, lay-of-the-land design with small greens and enough length at 6,896 yards to keep better players honest.
Host of a European Seniors Tour event in 1996-97, National sets the standard for the area. The courses that have cropped up since, all within a 20-minute drive of each other, range from very good to excellent. Tat Golf Belek International Golf Club (Tat means "taste" in Turkish) is a relatively flat 27-hole layout by Englishman Martin Hawtree, a third-generation designer. Opened in 1997, it offers a diverse mix of inland, tree-lined holes as well as links-style holes stretched along the beachfront, with a river in play at roughly half the holes. Tat's only failing is its conditioning, which can be iffy.
The region's sleeper course is Robinson Club Nobilis, which occupies the site of a former Roman settlement. English course architect Dave Thomas routed holes through tall umbrella pines near the Acisu River, the landing areas and slick bentgrass greens staked out by rolled-down, grass-faced bunkers. And just in case you neglected to remember where you are, there's a colonnaded clubhouse and a statue of Julius Caesar swinging a club atop a Roman arch to remind you.
Belek's largest facility is the 45-hole Gloria Golf Resort. The Old course was laid out in 1997 by Michel Gayon, a little-known Frenchman who created an impressive, tree-lined venue that emphasizes the tee shot: The layout's seemingly wide, inviting fairways actually call for well-positioned drives to open up a clear shot to the green.
Advertisement
The major-domo at Gloria is Tony Martin, a former European Tour player who has tirelessly promoted Turkey as a first-class destination. "The future of golf tourism in this country is looking very positive," he says. "Some compare Turkey with Spain 30 years ago, but we are moving faster here and the quality and service are higher."
The region's most recent developments have given Belek enough critical mass to enter the big leagues. The 36-hole Antalya Golf Club, opened in 2002, occupies gently rolling terrain and has a different look than the region's other courses. With fewer trees and numerous lakes, it could almost pass for a Florida spread. The Sultan, at 7,011 yards, is a pro-style test; the Pasha, relatively short at 6,268 yards, compensates with small, very undulating greens.
Top Newcomer
Cornelia Golf Club is a superb 27-hole facility that amply justifies the long journey. Named for a beloved Roman matron, Cornelia opened its Nick Faldo-designed Tiberius and Sempronia nines last November. The Gaius nine will debut this fall. (The nines are named for Cornelia's children.) The core 18 is, without question, the top course in Turkey. Cornelia was revered in the ancient world for her character; the club will share her reputation.
Faldo was a tactical thinker as a player, and it shows in his course designs. On a sandy, pine-clad site with a broad dune ridge running through the center of the property, Faldo created a strategic gem. Straightaway holes are in short supply at Cornelia. Par 5s are subtly Z-shaped or make hairpin turns through the woods. Among the more memorable holes is Tiberius' short par-4 7th, called "Faldo's Choice." The safe play is to the higher ground, though big hitters can take dead aim over sandy wasteland and trees to a sprawling green that slopes to three deep bunkers intended to swallow pushed shots. Cornelia is an eco-sensitive design that shelters hundreds of plant and bird species, notably the hooded owl, symbol of the Belek region.
Coming Attractions
Belek's newest venue is Papillon Golf Resort, which is scheduled to open its Colin Montgomerie design in late 2007. While more open than Cornelia, the course's site, a mixed pine forest interspersed by sandy ridges, is exceptional. The resort is angling to host a European Tour event. The ribbon-cutting will continue this fall at Sueno Golf Club, its Pines and Dunes courses proceeding from a new hotel. Pines is the region's longest course to date at 7,057 yards.
Thirty minutes east of Belek is Lykia Links, yet another newcomer scheduled to open this fall. The nearly treeless course by Perry Dye is set along the sandy shore a stone's throw from the beach. Looking ahead, Carya Golf Club, a heathland-style course by Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the firm founded by Australian great Peter Thomson, will debut next year. Like Cornelia, the expansive site, a mere 200 yards from the beach, is bisected by a sandy ridge and is heavily forested.
Hotels
Arguably the finest property in Belek is the Kempinski Hotel The Dome, a 157-room resort that fronts a private beach and is next to Antalya Golf Club. The hotel's ornate architecture was inspired by the Seljuk dynasty, which dates to the 11th century. The Dome Spa is one of the largest spa and Thalasso facilities in Turkey.
Among the newcomers, the top choices are Gloria Serenity Resort, a nicely landscaped, low-density property with 270 rooms and three a la carte restaurants, and the 178-room Sueno Hotels Golf Belek, which fronts a pair of courses and is slated to open in late 2007.
History Lessons
Belek is a perfect base for exploring the region's antiquities. Perge bears the imprints of a once-prosperous, well-planned Roman city: stadium, handsome theater and extensive baths. A pair of Hellenistic towers marks the entry to the city. The grooves in the paving stones are ruts worn by chariot wheels. St. Paul preached here on his first missionary journey.
Equally impressive is Aspendos, which boasts one of the best-preserved Roman theaters in the world-it is still in use with seating for 15,000. Aspendos also has an impressive aqueduct that traverses the valley, another superb example of Roman engineering.
Moving to the east is Side, one of Turkey's best-known classical sites. This lovely seaside town was founded by early Greeks, but its touchstones are mostly Roman. A popular resort, Side's narrow streets are lined with merchants selling handcrafted leather goods and jewelry. There are beautiful seaside temples dedicated to Apollo and Athena and a unique archeology museum contained in a Roman bathhouse.
An hour's drive west of Belek is Antalya, an ancient city (founded in 159 B.C.) with a modern pulse and a population of 1.1 million. The most important remains are the Roman city walls and Hadrian's Gate, built in honor of the emperor's visit. However, a distinctive fluted minaret of red brick, built by a sultan in the 13th century, is Antalya's most distinctive landmark.
Cuisine
Turkish cuisine is as varied as its history. Mezes, or appetizers, are usually served cold, running the gamut from elaborately stuffed vegetables to imam bayildi-slow-roasted baby eggplant topped with fried onions and tomatoes, and seasoned with garlic. Kebabs-marinated cubes of meat, often lamb, grilled with vegetables on a skewer-are excellent. As a main course, all preparations of lamb are recommended. Fresh fish, notably sea bass, is seasoned simply with olive oil and lemon and grilled whole. Save room for dessert. Baklava-a Turkish pastry made with phyllo dough, honey and chopped nuts-is rich and satisfying.
Turkish coffee -- dark, strong and a little gritty -- is an acquired taste. The local beer is Efes Pilsen, a fine pilsner. Raki, Turkey's national drink, is made from grapes and aniseed, and is similar to Greek ouzo. It's usually served as an aperitif. How you end the meal -- and the end of a day of Turkish golf and sightseeing -- is up to you.
Golf
The popularity of destinations like Bodrum and Antalya has already led to massive success in the Turkish tourism industry, but the market is set to grow further as a result of golf tourism, according to a new report.
KPMG Golf Advisory Services surveyed more than 70 tour operators and 50 golf course architects and found that Turkey is one of the countries that is expected to see a thriving golf tourism market in the future.
Hotspots like Malaga and Faro have made Spain and Portugal Europe's top destinations for golfers, but the KPMG research suggested that this could be set to change, Travel Daily News reports.
Andrea Sartori of KPMG Golf Advisory Services said: "The golf industry as a whole is likely to benefit from the continued growth of the broader travel and tourism industry.
"However, the traditional golf markets of Europe and North America can expect increasing competition from the emerging golf destinations that offer high quality golfing experiences at affordable prices."
Ms Sartori went on to explain that the "changing face" of the tourism industry is a result of lower air fares, greater accessibility to worldwide destinations and more frequent travel.
KPMG Golf Advisory Services surveyed more than 70 tour operators and 50 golf course architects and found that Turkey is one of the countries that is expected to see a thriving golf tourism market in the future.
Hotspots like Malaga and Faro have made Spain and Portugal Europe's top destinations for golfers, but the KPMG research suggested that this could be set to change, Travel Daily News reports.
Andrea Sartori of KPMG Golf Advisory Services said: "The golf industry as a whole is likely to benefit from the continued growth of the broader travel and tourism industry.
"However, the traditional golf markets of Europe and North America can expect increasing competition from the emerging golf destinations that offer high quality golfing experiences at affordable prices."
Ms Sartori went on to explain that the "changing face" of the tourism industry is a result of lower air fares, greater accessibility to worldwide destinations and more frequent travel.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Lykia World
LykiaGroup, which has been contributing to Turkey's tourism sector with investments in recreation, culture, golf and congress tourism for years, will open LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya, which was constructed with an investment of 100 million euros, on June 7.
Placed at a special location surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the Taurus Mountains on the other, LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya stands out with its 2.5-kilometer coastal line. Another factor that marks the hotel as different from its rivals is its links golf course, the first of its kind on the Mediterranean coast. LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya will begin offering unforgettable experiences to golf addicts from all over the world from September onward.
Individualism and diversity
“We aim to introduce the concept of ‘enjoyment' to the tourism sector beyond that of ‘entertainment.' The concept combines individualism with diversity in order to create the unexpected. This understanding will allow our guests to spend time in an activity that suits their individual taste, interest and enjoyment best,” said Burhan Silahtaroğlu, chairman of the board of LykiaGroup. Our guests will find the comfort that will make them feel at home, noted Silahtaroğlu. “We abstain from mass tourism above all. It will even be difficult for our guest to come together, at a capacity of 1,200 people.”
LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya offers every comfort to its guests with its 449 units differing in size from 40 to 225 square meters. The hotel includes duplex units with direct access to the swimming pool, superior family suites that are larger in size, and terrace suites as well as deluxe golf and resort rooms.
Corners tailored to each and every taste
LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya guests will be able to chose from four a la carte restaurants six days a week: The “Leziz” buffet restaurant, which is open 12 months a year offering both Turkish and international dishes in an elegant environment, the Turkish Quarter offering Turkish meals, services and entertainment in a modern setting, Vinoegusto, an Italian restaurant, Singapore, a far eastern restaurant, and the Fish House. Moreover, the Links Bar & Steak House will entertain hotel guests with distinguished tastes from international cuisines.
The small guests are not neglected in LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya, either. The Lykie Club will serve them with such options as hamburgers, chips and pasta.
The guests will also be able to enjoy themselves in the different atmospheres of 11 special pubs such as the “Lobi Bar,” the “Piyano Bar,” the “Havuz Bar” and the “Meltem Bar” by tasting specially prepared drinks.
Links golf course
Termed a “Seaside Golf Course,” Links Golf is the first of its kind in Turkey. Some 300 golf courses out of 36,000 in the world are links golf courses. With 27 holes, the LykiaLinks Golf Course was designed by Perry Dye, third-generation representative of the Dye family of America. The golf course will open in September.
“The golf course has a special kind of grass called ‘Seashore Paspalum.' The grass is green throughout the year, and is not affected by the salty sea water,” said Zeynep Silahtaroğlu Baykal, member of the board of LykiaGroup. The golf course is irrigated by Köprü Çay, a small brook that also divides the hotel into two, noted Silahtaroğlu Baykal and added that they did not use ground water but planned to refine sea water and use it for irrigation purposes in the future.
“Covering a total area of 1 million square meters, LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya targets the highest income group. The prices are twice the Turkey average because our product package is the best. We have made a success of an unprecedented hotel in an unprecedented location,” said Burhan Silahtaroğlu and added that they expected an annual revenue of between 37 and 40 million euros.
Placed at a special location surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the Taurus Mountains on the other, LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya stands out with its 2.5-kilometer coastal line. Another factor that marks the hotel as different from its rivals is its links golf course, the first of its kind on the Mediterranean coast. LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya will begin offering unforgettable experiences to golf addicts from all over the world from September onward.
Individualism and diversity
“We aim to introduce the concept of ‘enjoyment' to the tourism sector beyond that of ‘entertainment.' The concept combines individualism with diversity in order to create the unexpected. This understanding will allow our guests to spend time in an activity that suits their individual taste, interest and enjoyment best,” said Burhan Silahtaroğlu, chairman of the board of LykiaGroup. Our guests will find the comfort that will make them feel at home, noted Silahtaroğlu. “We abstain from mass tourism above all. It will even be difficult for our guest to come together, at a capacity of 1,200 people.”
LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya offers every comfort to its guests with its 449 units differing in size from 40 to 225 square meters. The hotel includes duplex units with direct access to the swimming pool, superior family suites that are larger in size, and terrace suites as well as deluxe golf and resort rooms.
Corners tailored to each and every taste
LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya guests will be able to chose from four a la carte restaurants six days a week: The “Leziz” buffet restaurant, which is open 12 months a year offering both Turkish and international dishes in an elegant environment, the Turkish Quarter offering Turkish meals, services and entertainment in a modern setting, Vinoegusto, an Italian restaurant, Singapore, a far eastern restaurant, and the Fish House. Moreover, the Links Bar & Steak House will entertain hotel guests with distinguished tastes from international cuisines.
The small guests are not neglected in LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya, either. The Lykie Club will serve them with such options as hamburgers, chips and pasta.
The guests will also be able to enjoy themselves in the different atmospheres of 11 special pubs such as the “Lobi Bar,” the “Piyano Bar,” the “Havuz Bar” and the “Meltem Bar” by tasting specially prepared drinks.
Links golf course
Termed a “Seaside Golf Course,” Links Golf is the first of its kind in Turkey. Some 300 golf courses out of 36,000 in the world are links golf courses. With 27 holes, the LykiaLinks Golf Course was designed by Perry Dye, third-generation representative of the Dye family of America. The golf course will open in September.
“The golf course has a special kind of grass called ‘Seashore Paspalum.' The grass is green throughout the year, and is not affected by the salty sea water,” said Zeynep Silahtaroğlu Baykal, member of the board of LykiaGroup. The golf course is irrigated by Köprü Çay, a small brook that also divides the hotel into two, noted Silahtaroğlu Baykal and added that they did not use ground water but planned to refine sea water and use it for irrigation purposes in the future.
“Covering a total area of 1 million square meters, LykiaWorld & LinksGolf Antalya targets the highest income group. The prices are twice the Turkey average because our product package is the best. We have made a success of an unprecedented hotel in an unprecedented location,” said Burhan Silahtaroğlu and added that they expected an annual revenue of between 37 and 40 million euros.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Golf in Turkey
Former soccer executive becomes Turkey’s golf boss
Turkish Golf Federation Chairman Ahmet Ağaoğlu
Golf is attracting growing attention among people in Turkey. This particular sport can be traced back 250 years and has been played in Turkey for about two decades.
Undoubtedly, Turkish Golf Federation Chairman Ahmet Ağaoğlu has played the greatest role in the promotion of this sport in Turkey. Ağaoğlu initiated the opening of large golf courses and attracted the attention of renowned golfers. One of the courses that he helped found in the resort town of Belek in Antalya province has received a number of significant awards.
Many famous women golfers are Antalya for the ongoing May 8-11 Turkish leg of the 2008 European LPGA Golf Tour. Despite his tight schedule, Ağaoğlu spared some time to talk to Sunday’s Zaman on the situation of golf in Turkey and the debates over the level of harm done to the environment to establish golf courses.
Why did you leave behind your position as a soccer executive and become interested in golf?
I like this sport. I did so because I thought I could have a different kind of success with this. And I made some remarkable progress. Besides, every single contribution I make to golf excites me.
You made a lot of sacrifices for golf. Do you think the state’s contribution to amateur sports is sufficient?
I did not insist on becoming the chairman of this federation. For a long time, my own company sponsored golf because I liked this sport. It would be wrong to expect the state to do everything for amateur sports. We already represent the state, which sponsors all federations. No federation has the right to complain about this. The state would invest money in particular sports if it were possible. The federation chairs should act responsibly where the resources are limited to resolve problems in sports. I would not stay here a minute longer if I did not make any contribution to the resolution of problems. I would just leave in such a situation. There are certain federations that have all their needs met by the state. We, however, need to be able to stand on our own feet.
What is the current status of the youngsters from Silivri who you have been training for a decade?
A lot of good players have been trained in our pilot region of Silivri. They include Hamza, Mustafa, Gencer and Tarık. Twenty-two of these players are at university owing to golf. They are incomparable to other athletes in terms of cultural and social level. Hopefully, some of them will be ranked in the top 50 in the world by the end of this year. In the later stages, these players will become professional golfers. We have been training these players to see them become professionals. But they have some problems such as lack of a role model.
What other troubles do they have?
Troubles related to their age; for instance, Hamza, one of our best players, injured his knee playing soccer. A golfer would not engage in any other sports that could cause serious injury. He should be even more careful if he is considering becoming a professional golfer. On the other hand, the others learned a lesson from this incident. We were really upset about this. Professor Ömer Taşer, one of the best doctors in Turkey, will take care of him. He performed a successful surgery. The player will resume playing golf this month.
In which tournaments will these players compete before becoming professional golfers?
We used to say we would be successful in the 2005 Mediterranean Games, but nobody believed us. Now, we are determined to achieve great things at the 2009 Mediterranean Games; hopefully, our players will win medals in these games.
Is one practice session a month with newly appointed national team trainer David Kearney sufficient?
David is a famous swing trainer in Europe; we hired him for a three-year period. He comes to Turkey once a month, but the players focus when he is here. The practices and actions of the players in the remaining three weeks are recorded. The trainer reviews these videos to analyze the shortcomings and gives instructions accordingly. He also undertakes groundwork activities. Currently we have four qualified Turkish trainers. Adnan Salmanlı from Klassis Golf Club and Şenol Bay from Kemel Golf Club serve as the assistants of the Irish coach.
The salaries in golf are quite high. Golfers are at the top of the list of athletes with the largest revenues. Golf tourism is also growing. How profitable is golf in Turkey?
Golf is a field where a lot of money should be spent on the players and the facilities. Tiger Woods has been cited for three consecutive years as the player who earned the most. Formula One pilot Michael Schumacher ranked second, whereas another golfer followed him. Overall, world tourism has grown by 2 percent whereas golf tourism has expanded by 8 percent. We are talking about great tournaments and huge sums of money. Spain makes $6 billion from golf tourism. For this reason, there are 6,200 golf courses in 17 countries. The figures in our country are not good. We estimate that the total revenue in connection with golf tourism next year will be around $250 million. The tourists who come here for golf spend more money than regular tourists because they are usually from the wealthier classes.
Is it right to destroy such a large number of trees for the sake of golfing?
Our federation was founded in 1996. We were the only federation that has not had facilities since our foundation. It is argued that there is a great risk in the allocation of forest areas to golf courses and destroying already limited forestry areas; some also argue that the chemicals used on golf courses will contaminate the groundwater. Some people in Turkey really do not know what they are talking about. It will take at least three decades to clarify these matters. I will not exhaust my energy explaining such things further. People will understand what I am saying when the time is right. At the beginning, I was prone to respond to the allegations and criticisms. We even held a scientific panel. But some people just do not get it no matter how you try to explain your case. The state authorities focusing on forestry monitor our activities all the time. People do not understand the difference between forest and commercial tree plantations.
There is a growing tendency in sports to hold promotional events and tournaments; what have you done in this regard for golf?
We organized the European Champion Clubs Tournament in 2005. We will be hosting this tournament in 2008 and 2009. The Gloria Classic, which is being organized as part of the European Seniors Tour, will remain on the schedule. Recently, the National Golf Club signed an agreement to hold one leg of the Ladies European Golf Tour in Antalya. Our application for candidacy for the World Amateur Golf Championship, which attracts more than 100 countries as participants, was accepted. Turkey will compete with Italy and Austria for this huge event. The Turkish Golf Federation has already started its lobbying activities, which will last through election day. We deserve to hold this event because of our facilities and accomplishments in the sport.
Turkish Golf Federation Chairman Ahmet Ağaoğlu
Golf is attracting growing attention among people in Turkey. This particular sport can be traced back 250 years and has been played in Turkey for about two decades.
Undoubtedly, Turkish Golf Federation Chairman Ahmet Ağaoğlu has played the greatest role in the promotion of this sport in Turkey. Ağaoğlu initiated the opening of large golf courses and attracted the attention of renowned golfers. One of the courses that he helped found in the resort town of Belek in Antalya province has received a number of significant awards.
Many famous women golfers are Antalya for the ongoing May 8-11 Turkish leg of the 2008 European LPGA Golf Tour. Despite his tight schedule, Ağaoğlu spared some time to talk to Sunday’s Zaman on the situation of golf in Turkey and the debates over the level of harm done to the environment to establish golf courses.
Why did you leave behind your position as a soccer executive and become interested in golf?
I like this sport. I did so because I thought I could have a different kind of success with this. And I made some remarkable progress. Besides, every single contribution I make to golf excites me.
You made a lot of sacrifices for golf. Do you think the state’s contribution to amateur sports is sufficient?
I did not insist on becoming the chairman of this federation. For a long time, my own company sponsored golf because I liked this sport. It would be wrong to expect the state to do everything for amateur sports. We already represent the state, which sponsors all federations. No federation has the right to complain about this. The state would invest money in particular sports if it were possible. The federation chairs should act responsibly where the resources are limited to resolve problems in sports. I would not stay here a minute longer if I did not make any contribution to the resolution of problems. I would just leave in such a situation. There are certain federations that have all their needs met by the state. We, however, need to be able to stand on our own feet.
What is the current status of the youngsters from Silivri who you have been training for a decade?
A lot of good players have been trained in our pilot region of Silivri. They include Hamza, Mustafa, Gencer and Tarık. Twenty-two of these players are at university owing to golf. They are incomparable to other athletes in terms of cultural and social level. Hopefully, some of them will be ranked in the top 50 in the world by the end of this year. In the later stages, these players will become professional golfers. We have been training these players to see them become professionals. But they have some problems such as lack of a role model.
What other troubles do they have?
Troubles related to their age; for instance, Hamza, one of our best players, injured his knee playing soccer. A golfer would not engage in any other sports that could cause serious injury. He should be even more careful if he is considering becoming a professional golfer. On the other hand, the others learned a lesson from this incident. We were really upset about this. Professor Ömer Taşer, one of the best doctors in Turkey, will take care of him. He performed a successful surgery. The player will resume playing golf this month.
In which tournaments will these players compete before becoming professional golfers?
We used to say we would be successful in the 2005 Mediterranean Games, but nobody believed us. Now, we are determined to achieve great things at the 2009 Mediterranean Games; hopefully, our players will win medals in these games.
Is one practice session a month with newly appointed national team trainer David Kearney sufficient?
David is a famous swing trainer in Europe; we hired him for a three-year period. He comes to Turkey once a month, but the players focus when he is here. The practices and actions of the players in the remaining three weeks are recorded. The trainer reviews these videos to analyze the shortcomings and gives instructions accordingly. He also undertakes groundwork activities. Currently we have four qualified Turkish trainers. Adnan Salmanlı from Klassis Golf Club and Şenol Bay from Kemel Golf Club serve as the assistants of the Irish coach.
The salaries in golf are quite high. Golfers are at the top of the list of athletes with the largest revenues. Golf tourism is also growing. How profitable is golf in Turkey?
Golf is a field where a lot of money should be spent on the players and the facilities. Tiger Woods has been cited for three consecutive years as the player who earned the most. Formula One pilot Michael Schumacher ranked second, whereas another golfer followed him. Overall, world tourism has grown by 2 percent whereas golf tourism has expanded by 8 percent. We are talking about great tournaments and huge sums of money. Spain makes $6 billion from golf tourism. For this reason, there are 6,200 golf courses in 17 countries. The figures in our country are not good. We estimate that the total revenue in connection with golf tourism next year will be around $250 million. The tourists who come here for golf spend more money than regular tourists because they are usually from the wealthier classes.
Is it right to destroy such a large number of trees for the sake of golfing?
Our federation was founded in 1996. We were the only federation that has not had facilities since our foundation. It is argued that there is a great risk in the allocation of forest areas to golf courses and destroying already limited forestry areas; some also argue that the chemicals used on golf courses will contaminate the groundwater. Some people in Turkey really do not know what they are talking about. It will take at least three decades to clarify these matters. I will not exhaust my energy explaining such things further. People will understand what I am saying when the time is right. At the beginning, I was prone to respond to the allegations and criticisms. We even held a scientific panel. But some people just do not get it no matter how you try to explain your case. The state authorities focusing on forestry monitor our activities all the time. People do not understand the difference between forest and commercial tree plantations.
There is a growing tendency in sports to hold promotional events and tournaments; what have you done in this regard for golf?
We organized the European Champion Clubs Tournament in 2005. We will be hosting this tournament in 2008 and 2009. The Gloria Classic, which is being organized as part of the European Seniors Tour, will remain on the schedule. Recently, the National Golf Club signed an agreement to hold one leg of the Ladies European Golf Tour in Antalya. Our application for candidacy for the World Amateur Golf Championship, which attracts more than 100 countries as participants, was accepted. Turkey will compete with Italy and Austria for this huge event. The Turkish Golf Federation has already started its lobbying activities, which will last through election day. We deserve to hold this event because of our facilities and accomplishments in the sport.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Land valuations in Turkey
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2008 – The World Bank today approved a loan equivalent to US$203 million to the Government of Turkey for the Land Registry and Cadastre Modernization Project. The Project will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the land registry and cadastre services.
"The Project constitutes a next generation of Bank operations in the area of land management and cadastre, where the country already has a well functioning property rights regime, but is striving to take the land registry and cadastre data use to the next level by spreading its benefits to people, businesses and multiple sectors, and facilitating better access to real estate information through the e-government platform,” said Wael Zakout, Sector Manager and Task Team Leader for the Project. “This project will also help improve customer service by reducing the time taken to register a property transaction to a few hours, and develop property appraisal function in line with international standards.”
The project will (i) renovate and update cadastre maps to support digital cadastre and land registry information; (ii) make the digital land registry and cadastre information available to public and private entities (iii) improve customer services in land registry and cadastre offices; (iv) improve human resources in the Turkish Land Registry and Cadastre Agency (TKGM); and (v) develop policies and capacity to introduce best international practices in property valuation in Turkey.
While the Turkish Cadastre and Registration system is considered one of the most effective in the region and registration of property transactions is done within one day in many offices, there are still many shortcomings to be addressed to ensure that the system modernizes to reach the same service level as in the European countries. Many of the Cadastre and Land Registry offices rely on manual systems, with old documents, some of them dating back to the Ottoman times. In addition, the TAKBIS system (Turkey’s computerized Cadastre and Land Registry Software) runs in only 140 out of the 1000 offices.
The most challenging aspect is that cadastral maps continue to be in a paper format, vary in accuracy and consistency, and are not linked to the national network. This makes it difficult to support E-government applications as cadastre maps serve as a base mapping for many government applications. Furthermore, in many localities maps are out of date and do not correspond with the ground locations and areas, differing sometimes by up to 10 meters.
The project will be funded by an IBRD flexible variable spread loan. It will have a maturity of 23.5 years including a 5 year grace period.
"The Project constitutes a next generation of Bank operations in the area of land management and cadastre, where the country already has a well functioning property rights regime, but is striving to take the land registry and cadastre data use to the next level by spreading its benefits to people, businesses and multiple sectors, and facilitating better access to real estate information through the e-government platform,” said Wael Zakout, Sector Manager and Task Team Leader for the Project. “This project will also help improve customer service by reducing the time taken to register a property transaction to a few hours, and develop property appraisal function in line with international standards.”
The project will (i) renovate and update cadastre maps to support digital cadastre and land registry information; (ii) make the digital land registry and cadastre information available to public and private entities (iii) improve customer services in land registry and cadastre offices; (iv) improve human resources in the Turkish Land Registry and Cadastre Agency (TKGM); and (v) develop policies and capacity to introduce best international practices in property valuation in Turkey.
While the Turkish Cadastre and Registration system is considered one of the most effective in the region and registration of property transactions is done within one day in many offices, there are still many shortcomings to be addressed to ensure that the system modernizes to reach the same service level as in the European countries. Many of the Cadastre and Land Registry offices rely on manual systems, with old documents, some of them dating back to the Ottoman times. In addition, the TAKBIS system (Turkey’s computerized Cadastre and Land Registry Software) runs in only 140 out of the 1000 offices.
The most challenging aspect is that cadastral maps continue to be in a paper format, vary in accuracy and consistency, and are not linked to the national network. This makes it difficult to support E-government applications as cadastre maps serve as a base mapping for many government applications. Furthermore, in many localities maps are out of date and do not correspond with the ground locations and areas, differing sometimes by up to 10 meters.
The project will be funded by an IBRD flexible variable spread loan. It will have a maturity of 23.5 years including a 5 year grace period.
turkish golf
Turkey's golf tourism sector is set to rise over the course of this year, an industry official has reported.
Ahmet Agaoglu, president of the Turkish Golf Federation, claimed some 85,732 games were played in golf resorts across the country during the first three months of 2007, a rise of 30 per cent from the same period last year, reports Turkish Daily News, citing the Anatolia news agency.
He said: "As the number of golf courses in the region increases, we expect that Turkey's share of golf tourism will increase significantly."
Mr Agaoglu added that the Belek region is set to have 21 golf courses by next year.
He also reported that about 46,600 rounds were played in the area last month, which is considered to be "the epicenter of the golf tourism boom", an increase from 32,800 in March 2006.
Earlier this week, Oktay Varlier, chairman of the Tourism Investors' Association, told Turkish Press that 21.4 million tourists will visit the county over the year.
Ahmet Agaoglu, president of the Turkish Golf Federation, claimed some 85,732 games were played in golf resorts across the country during the first three months of 2007, a rise of 30 per cent from the same period last year, reports Turkish Daily News, citing the Anatolia news agency.
He said: "As the number of golf courses in the region increases, we expect that Turkey's share of golf tourism will increase significantly."
Mr Agaoglu added that the Belek region is set to have 21 golf courses by next year.
He also reported that about 46,600 rounds were played in the area last month, which is considered to be "the epicenter of the golf tourism boom", an increase from 32,800 in March 2006.
Earlier this week, Oktay Varlier, chairman of the Tourism Investors' Association, told Turkish Press that 21.4 million tourists will visit the county over the year.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Bodrum Golf course
BODRUM, Turkey -- The course architects at Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey have broken ground here on 18 new holes in the exclusive resort town of Bodrum amid Roman ruins, flocks of flamingos and stands of olive, palm and oak trees. Golfplan has designed more than 160 courses in 26 different countries, but this project - slated for a spring 2009 opening - will be the firm's first in the emerging golf destination of Turkey.
Bodrum is commonly referred to as Turkey's St. Tropez, its Mediterranean climate, upscale shops and quiet perch on the Aegean having served Istanbul's old money elite for many decades. Golfplan's 18-hole design at the as yet unnamed resort, with its large hotel component and 4,000 planned villas, will cater to this established crowd while also serving Bodrum's growing numbers of German and British tourists.
"This community has long been the quiet, moneyed alternative to Turkey's more commercial tourist region down the Ionian coast, and when you see the climate and terrain here in Bodrum, it's easy to see why they kept it quiet," says Kevin Ramsey, a partner with Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey. "Both are perfectly suited to golf. Our site in Bodrum combines a sort of high-desert vegetation — rocky, sandy soils with olive trees, scrub oak and sage; very dry — with tropical temperatures in summer and serious elevation change."
Ramsey explained that half the routing extends down to the property's salt-water estuary, home to the palms and flamingos. Several corners of the site — including the 18th tee complex — are festooned with ruins from the ancient Greek and Roman cultures that thrived here for centuries Before the Common Era.
The other nine winds up into several valleys flanked by steep, striking rock outcroppings — site of the hotel and most of the real estate lots, which look down on the course. The hotel (developers are considering Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton) has been designed to resemble a Roman ruin that stair-steps down these rock plateaus. On the final, lowest step sits the clubhouse and 1st tee, Ramsey noted.
"We've been very careful with the routing and construction of the golf course," the course architect continues. "This entire area has tremendous history and areas adjacent to the golf course have been designated an archaeological preserve, so our intent is to keep things right where they are and let people experience the history. It's quite something to be standing beside a column or bit of masonry that's been in place for more than 2,500 years.
"Water is another big issue here, as everywhere these days. The regulations aren't as strict as they are in California, but they are one reason we've designed a paspalum golf course," says Ramsey, noting that this salt-tolerant grass allows course irrigation options that include both effluent and groundwater too brackish for normal turfgrasses. "We've specified Tifeagle greens [bermudagrass]. We also plan to revegetate some portions of the property with oaks and palms from other parts of the property."
This is the first golf resort project for developer Agaoglu, a veteran, Istanbul-based builder of high-rise apartments and office buildings in the city; so far they have done everything right, Ramsey says. The owners are doing the general earthworks, while Golf International out of Istanbul has been hired to construct the course. Golfplan brought in one of its elite shapers, Jimmy Stevens, to do all the feature work. Stevens handled Golfplan designs at Eagle Ridge in Gilroy, Calif., and Guam International, among others.
"The folks at Golf International have been building courses in Turkey for 20 years; they built Nick Faldo's course at Cornelia and they are building a Colin Montgomerie course, so we were confident of their abilities and they've proved very capable," Ramsey explains. "They are also distributors of course products, which is typical of companies in countries where golf is still relatively young."
It's nothing Ramsey and his colleagues haven't seen before. Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey are golf's most cosmopolitan course designers, with projects now in some stage of development in 11 different countries.
Since its founding in 1973, the firm has built some of the world's most celebrated courses, in some of golf's most exotic locations: Pezula, on South African cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean; Korea's feted Club at Nine Bridges, now firmly ensconced on the world Top 100 lists at both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine; Bali Handara and Jagorawi, in the tropical jungles of Indonesia; Shore Gate, in the storied sand hills just a few miles from the boardwalks of Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the United States; the 27 holes at Disneyland Paris; the mountainous resort course at Bonari Kogen GC, home to the most beautiful par-5 in all of Japan; and the Serapong Course on the Island of Sentosa, host to the Barclay's Singapore Open and recently named the top tournament course in all of Asia by Asian Golf Monthly magazine.
Bringing world-class golf to a still-fledgling golf market, like that of Turkey, is nothing new for Ramsey and the Golfplan team. Still, they see particular promise for golf here.
"The Bodrum course will be about the 10th in Turkey, so golf is still in its infancy. But we see this market growing faster and going further than most. The area has so much to offer. We did a course in Poland six years ago and now they have six or seven courses, but golf will always be limited by the climate there. Turkey is different. It's a place Europeans want to go, a place that attracts them all year around. A place like Dubai is fine in winter, and there is duty-free shopping — but what else? There is such great boating and diving to be had in Turkey, the Aegean islands are so accessible from here, and it's so culturally rich — past and present."
Bodrum is commonly referred to as Turkey's St. Tropez, its Mediterranean climate, upscale shops and quiet perch on the Aegean having served Istanbul's old money elite for many decades. Golfplan's 18-hole design at the as yet unnamed resort, with its large hotel component and 4,000 planned villas, will cater to this established crowd while also serving Bodrum's growing numbers of German and British tourists.
"This community has long been the quiet, moneyed alternative to Turkey's more commercial tourist region down the Ionian coast, and when you see the climate and terrain here in Bodrum, it's easy to see why they kept it quiet," says Kevin Ramsey, a partner with Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey. "Both are perfectly suited to golf. Our site in Bodrum combines a sort of high-desert vegetation — rocky, sandy soils with olive trees, scrub oak and sage; very dry — with tropical temperatures in summer and serious elevation change."
Ramsey explained that half the routing extends down to the property's salt-water estuary, home to the palms and flamingos. Several corners of the site — including the 18th tee complex — are festooned with ruins from the ancient Greek and Roman cultures that thrived here for centuries Before the Common Era.
The other nine winds up into several valleys flanked by steep, striking rock outcroppings — site of the hotel and most of the real estate lots, which look down on the course. The hotel (developers are considering Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton) has been designed to resemble a Roman ruin that stair-steps down these rock plateaus. On the final, lowest step sits the clubhouse and 1st tee, Ramsey noted.
"We've been very careful with the routing and construction of the golf course," the course architect continues. "This entire area has tremendous history and areas adjacent to the golf course have been designated an archaeological preserve, so our intent is to keep things right where they are and let people experience the history. It's quite something to be standing beside a column or bit of masonry that's been in place for more than 2,500 years.
"Water is another big issue here, as everywhere these days. The regulations aren't as strict as they are in California, but they are one reason we've designed a paspalum golf course," says Ramsey, noting that this salt-tolerant grass allows course irrigation options that include both effluent and groundwater too brackish for normal turfgrasses. "We've specified Tifeagle greens [bermudagrass]. We also plan to revegetate some portions of the property with oaks and palms from other parts of the property."
This is the first golf resort project for developer Agaoglu, a veteran, Istanbul-based builder of high-rise apartments and office buildings in the city; so far they have done everything right, Ramsey says. The owners are doing the general earthworks, while Golf International out of Istanbul has been hired to construct the course. Golfplan brought in one of its elite shapers, Jimmy Stevens, to do all the feature work. Stevens handled Golfplan designs at Eagle Ridge in Gilroy, Calif., and Guam International, among others.
"The folks at Golf International have been building courses in Turkey for 20 years; they built Nick Faldo's course at Cornelia and they are building a Colin Montgomerie course, so we were confident of their abilities and they've proved very capable," Ramsey explains. "They are also distributors of course products, which is typical of companies in countries where golf is still relatively young."
It's nothing Ramsey and his colleagues haven't seen before. Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey are golf's most cosmopolitan course designers, with projects now in some stage of development in 11 different countries.
Since its founding in 1973, the firm has built some of the world's most celebrated courses, in some of golf's most exotic locations: Pezula, on South African cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean; Korea's feted Club at Nine Bridges, now firmly ensconced on the world Top 100 lists at both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine; Bali Handara and Jagorawi, in the tropical jungles of Indonesia; Shore Gate, in the storied sand hills just a few miles from the boardwalks of Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the United States; the 27 holes at Disneyland Paris; the mountainous resort course at Bonari Kogen GC, home to the most beautiful par-5 in all of Japan; and the Serapong Course on the Island of Sentosa, host to the Barclay's Singapore Open and recently named the top tournament course in all of Asia by Asian Golf Monthly magazine.
Bringing world-class golf to a still-fledgling golf market, like that of Turkey, is nothing new for Ramsey and the Golfplan team. Still, they see particular promise for golf here.
"The Bodrum course will be about the 10th in Turkey, so golf is still in its infancy. But we see this market growing faster and going further than most. The area has so much to offer. We did a course in Poland six years ago and now they have six or seven courses, but golf will always be limited by the climate there. Turkey is different. It's a place Europeans want to go, a place that attracts them all year around. A place like Dubai is fine in winter, and there is duty-free shopping — but what else? There is such great boating and diving to be had in Turkey, the Aegean islands are so accessible from here, and it's so culturally rich — past and present."
Monday, April 21, 2008
Golf in Turkey
Turkey, Dubai and South Africa are set to be hotspots for golf tourism in the future, according to research. A survey of golf course architects and tour operators has revealed that Turkey and South Africa are set to be future hotspots for golf tourism. The research, conducted by KPMG Golf Advisory Services, suggested that the status of some of the world's established locations for golf tourism could be under threat, Travel Daily News reports. While the companies surveyed said that Spain, Portugal and other popular locations for the sporting pastime are set to see further growth, they could also be the most threatened by emerging destinations.
Andrea Sartori of KPMG Golf Advisory Services said: "The golf industry as a whole is likely to benefit from the continued growth of the broader travel and tourism industry. "However, the traditional golf markets of Europe and North America can expect increasing competition from the emerging golf destinations that offer high quality golfing experiences at affordable prices."
The Caribbean and Latin American region was also said to have potential for golf tourism, while Ireland, Scotland and England were thought to be the most stable markets.
Turkey, Dubai and South Africa are set to be hotspots for golf tourism in the future, according to research. A survey of golf course architects and tour operators has revealed that tURKEY and SOUTH AFRICA are set to be future hotspots for golf tourism. The research, conducted by KPMG Golf Advisory Services, suggested that the status of some of the world's established locations for golf tourism could be under threat, Travel Daily News reports.
While the companies surveyed said that Spain, Portugal and other popular locations for the sporting pastime are set to see further growth, they could also be the most threatened by emerging destinations. Andrea Sartori of KPMG Golf Advisory Services said: "The golf industry as a whole is likely to benefit from the continued growth of the broader travel and tourism industry. "However, the traditional golf markets of Europe and North America can expect increasing competition from the emerging golf destinations that offer high quality golfing experiences at affordable prices."
Andrea Sartori of KPMG Golf Advisory Services said: "The golf industry as a whole is likely to benefit from the continued growth of the broader travel and tourism industry. "However, the traditional golf markets of Europe and North America can expect increasing competition from the emerging golf destinations that offer high quality golfing experiences at affordable prices."
The Caribbean and Latin American region was also said to have potential for golf tourism, while Ireland, Scotland and England were thought to be the most stable markets.
Turkey, Dubai and South Africa are set to be hotspots for golf tourism in the future, according to research. A survey of golf course architects and tour operators has revealed that tURKEY and SOUTH AFRICA are set to be future hotspots for golf tourism. The research, conducted by KPMG Golf Advisory Services, suggested that the status of some of the world's established locations for golf tourism could be under threat, Travel Daily News reports.
While the companies surveyed said that Spain, Portugal and other popular locations for the sporting pastime are set to see further growth, they could also be the most threatened by emerging destinations. Andrea Sartori of KPMG Golf Advisory Services said: "The golf industry as a whole is likely to benefit from the continued growth of the broader travel and tourism industry. "However, the traditional golf markets of Europe and North America can expect increasing competition from the emerging golf destinations that offer high quality golfing experiences at affordable prices."
Friday, April 11, 2008
Ladies golf tour
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News
Garanti Bank will be the main sponsor of the Turkey leg of the Ladies European Tour (LET), to be held May 6-11 at the National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya.
The event's title has been changed to “The Garanti American Express Turkish Open.” The Garanti American Express Turkish Open golf tournament will be attended by 120 of the best women golfers from 30 countries.
“We are very happy to support this prestigious event which will provide the best kind of publicity for Turkey,” said Nafiz Karadere, Garanti Bank's deputy general manager. “We believe that this tournament is very important to promote the popularity of golf in Turkey. It will also help Turkey reinforce its position as an important European golfing destination.”
Garanti Payment Systems' CEO, Mehmet Sezgin, said American Express has sponsored many international golf tournaments in the past. “But now we are lending our name to an important international tournament to be held in Turkey,” he said. “We are pleased to turn the long-standing professional cooperation between American Express and Garanti into sponsorships.”
The president of the National Golf Club, Bülent Göktuna, pointed out that the tournament is a groundbreaking event for Turkey. “Such a prestigious tournament will present a wonderful opportunity both as a representation of Turkey and golf tourism,” he said.
120 women golfers in Belek
In May, 120 top women golf players from 30 countries will participate in The Garanti American Express Turkish Open, the Turkey leg of the Ladies European Tour (LET), one of the most important golfing events in the world. The Garanti American Express Turkish Open, to be staged at the National Golf Club, is also sponsored by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the most important golfing institution in the world. The National Golf Club is the first golf club in Turkey to have earned an ISO 9001-2000 quality certificate.
Three Turkish golfers will be participating in The Garanti American Express Turkish Open with wildcards, giving Necla Gerçek, Elçin Ulu and Müzeyyen Şaşmaz the opportunity to play against some of the world's leading golfers.
Martina Eberl, 26, a LET player and winner of 2007 Madrid Ladies Masters earlier visited Belek and admired the course, calling it "challenging and exciting."
"This is my first time in Turkey and I am really impressed,” said Eberl, who played a round at the course on March 2. “The course is really good, it is very challenging. I believe that the event in May will be a major success.”
Garanti Bank will be the main sponsor of the Turkey leg of the Ladies European Tour (LET), to be held May 6-11 at the National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya.
The event's title has been changed to “The Garanti American Express Turkish Open.” The Garanti American Express Turkish Open golf tournament will be attended by 120 of the best women golfers from 30 countries.
“We are very happy to support this prestigious event which will provide the best kind of publicity for Turkey,” said Nafiz Karadere, Garanti Bank's deputy general manager. “We believe that this tournament is very important to promote the popularity of golf in Turkey. It will also help Turkey reinforce its position as an important European golfing destination.”
Garanti Payment Systems' CEO, Mehmet Sezgin, said American Express has sponsored many international golf tournaments in the past. “But now we are lending our name to an important international tournament to be held in Turkey,” he said. “We are pleased to turn the long-standing professional cooperation between American Express and Garanti into sponsorships.”
The president of the National Golf Club, Bülent Göktuna, pointed out that the tournament is a groundbreaking event for Turkey. “Such a prestigious tournament will present a wonderful opportunity both as a representation of Turkey and golf tourism,” he said.
120 women golfers in Belek
In May, 120 top women golf players from 30 countries will participate in The Garanti American Express Turkish Open, the Turkey leg of the Ladies European Tour (LET), one of the most important golfing events in the world. The Garanti American Express Turkish Open, to be staged at the National Golf Club, is also sponsored by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the most important golfing institution in the world. The National Golf Club is the first golf club in Turkey to have earned an ISO 9001-2000 quality certificate.
Three Turkish golfers will be participating in The Garanti American Express Turkish Open with wildcards, giving Necla Gerçek, Elçin Ulu and Müzeyyen Şaşmaz the opportunity to play against some of the world's leading golfers.
Martina Eberl, 26, a LET player and winner of 2007 Madrid Ladies Masters earlier visited Belek and admired the course, calling it "challenging and exciting."
"This is my first time in Turkey and I am really impressed,” said Eberl, who played a round at the course on March 2. “The course is really good, it is very challenging. I believe that the event in May will be a major success.”
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Flights to Turkey
Antalya’s property market should benefit from the news that British Airways will operate a new route to Antalya from next spring.
Three weekly flights from Gatwick airport will start on April 10th. There will also be regional flights from Stansted, Exeter, Sheffield/Doncaster and Newcastle.
British Airways commercial director Robert Boyle said: “Antalya is in South West Turkey and is an increasingly popular leisure destination with new tourism facilities being developed.
“There is a strong possibility that Easy Jet could also extend into this part of Turkey, s they already fly into Istanbul. Add to this a brand new airport scheduled for Alayna and you can see how this part of the world is really opening up. Competition from airlines can only bring cheaper flights.”
The Turkish property market is reportedly ripe for investment at the moment. Prospects for capital growth in Turkey currently looks good. Robert Nixon Turkish developers Nirvana International commented: “Increased flights from the UK to Turkey can only help to increase the number of tourists and investors, as this remarkable country goes from strength to strength.”
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
To the not-so-seasoned golf traveler, Turkey would be a very unlikely golf holiday destination. But with a rich and varied landscape, a good weather and eye catching courses, it figures on an increasing number of golf packages now. Straddling the orient and the occident, Turkey is in an enviable position, geographically. Historically, Turkey has been an important player having given rise to the Ottoman and the Byzantine empires.
Resonating with a rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, Turkey has always been a tourist destination fascinating people from all over the world. in the last few years tourism in Turkey has added a new dimension to its charms – golf. The sport is gaining popularity and Turkey is earning its place as a favored golf package inclusion owing to the fact it offers several fabulous courses not yet crowded by enthusiastic golf holiday makers.
One of the best things about golf travel to Turkey is that it is an easy and a fairly inexpensive affair. You can play world class courses on mountains, some of the most beautiful beaches, in plains and in forests. This diversity is attractive enough to golfers for planning dedicated golf vacations to Turkey. What’s more, Turkey also offers a lot more than golf – captivating Ottoman architecture, fascinating arts and a great cuisine for the hungry traveler.
However, when you are on a golf tour little else occupies your mind and you want to start swinging away as soon as possible. Before you tee off, you’ll have to decide which region you want to exhaust first. Golf in turkey is concentrated in two places – Antalya and Istanbul.
A great start to your golf vacation could be some of the courses in the ancient city of Antalya. Founded in the second century BC by Attalus II, Antalya is a visual treat situated along the Mediterranean coast. Most of the courses here are located in the golf resort area called Belek just a few miles from the Antalya airport so you can begin your golf holiday as soon as you land. Start off with the Antalya Golf Club comprising two courses – The Sultan and The Pasha. The Sultan is an 18-hole, 6411 meters course designed by David Jones. Playing the Sultan on your golf tour may send you back a better golfer for it tests every skill you have while offering a great view of the surrounding greenery and all this at just EUR 75. The Pasha is even more demanding and requires a skillful player. With 18 demanding holes, tough dog-legs and foxy bunkers, The Pasha is an experience you can’t miss.
Another notable course in Antalya is the Gloria golf resort designed by Michael Gayon. An 18-hole parkland style championship course, Gloria runs to 6300 meters par 72. The layout gives you a good walk and a tough time around four huge lakes and more than 60 bunkers. Your golf tour would be incomplete without this gem.
The next stop on your golf travel by default would be Istanbul, a modern city far from the sepia toned picture you may have imagined. One of the best and the oldest courses in Europe that your golf tour cannot do without is the Maslak. Two other courses that will make your golf vacation memorable are Klassis Golf & Country Club and the Kemer Golf & Country Club.Â
Turkey is a beautiful country blessed with natural good looks, warm and friendly people and a lot more golf coming up. You can play some thirst quenching golf on your golf tour and still not have to rob a bank to pay for it. With several more courses on the anvil, Turkey is a golf holiday destination slated to get to the top very soon.
History of Golf in turkey
Golf was introduced to Turkey at the end of 1800s. The first golf club was founded in 1895 in İstanbul as “Istanbul Golf Club.” This club had a great role in introducing golf to Turkey. Izmir Bornova Golf Club followed this in 1905, Boğaziçi Bebek Golf Club in 1911 and Ankara Golf Club in 1949. These clubs were affiliated to Tennis Federation, founded in 1926.
The first golf field was built in Maslak district, İstanbul.. This field moved to Levent in 1922, then moved to the Fourth Levent after 1940 before moving to its present place in Harp Academies. The first caddie competition, made in the field of Istanbul Golf Club in Maslak on 22 June 1977. Bulent Cakır ranked the first in the competition.
With the acception of the main targets and principles in the 6th. Five Year Development Plan on 22 Mayıs 1989, golf sports gained a new chance for a rise. Luckily, Ministry of Tourism provided the assignment of golf fields in Antalya and Izmir in 1990. The first professional golf field in Turkey, Istanbul Klassis Golf Country opened in 1994. National Golf Club and Kemer Country Club followed them in Belek, Antalya. Raif Bilir was appointed to be the chairman to the Golf Federation, founded in 1995.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Turkish golf plans
Often considered a bourgeoisie sport, the face of golf in Turkey is changing. The Turkish Golf Federation (TGF) is scouting the entire country and has already increased the number of licensed players to over 5,000.
While Spain earns 6 billion euros and Portugal gets 2 billion euros, Turkey only receives around 160 million euros from golf tourism, and it is the biggest asset for tourism's biggest countries. “It is impossible to raise golf tourism if there is no golf culture in the country,” says Ahmet Ağaoğlu, federation president. That is why the federation is making a great effort for a leap. In 2001, Turkey had a ridiculously small number of licensed golf players: only 78. Now there are 5,000 with almost 60 percent of them coming from poor Anatolian families.
“The all-in packages in hotels are sold for 20 euros,” says Ağaoğlu. “But an ordinary golf tourist spends 200-260 euros. You have to welcome tourists from different profiles and background, and be prepared for that.”
At first, only 60 kids have showed up for selections because of the resistance of many families. However, after successful runs in the European Championships and the Mediterranean Games, golf has made it on the sports agenda.
Additionally, it has been heard that the federation supports talented players in their education.
“We pioneered the opening of a golf coaching department in the Marmara University and 18 of our scholars are studying here,” says Ağaoğlu, underlining that it was a big deal for not-so-rich families. “Now a thousand people have applied. We are going to pick 60 of them.”
He notes that in Erzurum, there is a strong tendency for girls to play golf. There are almost 500 girls that are licensed golf players in the city. “People are exaggerating the situation when they claim that families do not send their daughters to school,” comments Ağaoğlu. “When you give them the opportunity, see what they can do.”
Golf for the challenged:
The TGF is now preparing another project for physically challenged sportsmen. German national golf team coach and captain are to work in that project. Six machines to help a player with spinal paralysis in golfing are already bought. Each machine costs 18, 000 euros. One wonders about the overall budget of such an active federation. Ağaoğlu states that a yearly budget of 150-200,000 euros is enough to keep the work going, and emphasizes that no outside support is used.
“Golf is the kind of sport that people from every age and economic group can do,” says Ağaoğlu. “It is wrong to promote it as a bourgeoisie sport.” Ağaoğlu gives the example of England and Ireland, where the lower classes play golf, too. Now the federation is trying to break that belief in Turkey. “George Bush is playing golf and Ahmet from Ağrı can play as well,” says Ağaoğlu, and adds that they have made it to a certain point.
“Of the 5,000 licensed players in Turkey, 3,000 are under the age of 18 and kids of families with lower incomes.” Ağaoğlu accepts they were a little behind their plans of 10,000 licensed sportsmen, but it is sure that the country is in fact miles away from being world leaders of the sector. In Spain, there are 304 golf courses and 300,000 players. Even though there is a long distance from the other countries, Turkey is running fast to close the gap.
Golf brings 160 million euros income:
There are currently 11 golf courses in Turkey, eight of which are in Antalya and three in Istanbul. With new courses under construction in the Antalya region, the total number is expected to reach 21 by the end of 2008. Turkish Golf Federation chief Ahmet Ağaoğlu said these courses were among the best in the world. “Between May 2006 and May 2007, Turkey had an income of 160 million euros from golf tourism. That is a pretty good amount, when we reach 100 courses, the income will increase to 1.5-2 billion euros.”
He added golf tourism's share in the general tourism income of developed countries was 15-20 percent while it is 0.4 percent in Turkey. “Foreign investers are willing to enter the Turkish golf tourism market,” Ağaoğlu stressed, “but more than 100 Turkish investors are in line, too. All the Turkish investors are very successful at construction of golf courses, management, and marketing. I do not think that foreigners will have a chance in Turkey.”
http://adoproperties.blogspot.com
New Golf Course for Bodrum
The course architects at Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey, have broken ground on 18 new holes at the site. Golfplan has designed more than 160 courses in 26 different countries, but this project - slated for a spring 2009 opening - will be the firm's first in the emerging golf destination of Turkey.
Golfplan's 18-hole design at the as yet unnamed resort, with its large hotel component and 4,000 planned villas, will cater to this established crowd while also serving Bodrum's growing numbers of German and British tourists.
"This community has long been the quiet, moneyed alternative to Turkey's more commercial tourist region down the Ionian coast, and when you see the climate and terrain here in Bodrum, it's easy to see why they kept it quiet," says Kevin Ramsey, a partner with Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey.
"Both are perfectly suited to golf. Our site in Bodrum combines a sort of high-desert vegetation — rocky, sandy soils with olive trees, scrub oak and sage; very dry — with tropical temperatures in summer and serious elevation change."
Ramsey explained that half the routing extends down to the property's salt-water estuary, home to the palms and flamingos. Several corners of the site — including the 18th tee complex — are festooned with ruins from the ancient Greek and Roman cultures that thrived here for centuries Before the Common Era.
The other nine winds up into several valleys flanked by steep, striking rock outcroppings — site of the hotel and most of the real estate lots, which look down on the course. The hotel (developers are considering Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton) has been designed to resemble a Roman ruin that stair-steps down these rock plateaus. On the final, lowest step sits the clubhouse and 1st tee, Ramsey noted.
"We've been very careful with the routing and construction of the golf course," the course architect continues. "This entire area has tremendous history and areas adjacent to the golf course have been designated an archaeological preserve, so our intent is to keep things right where they are and let people experience the history. It's quite something to be standing beside a column or bit of masonry that's been in place for more than 2,500 years.
"Water is another big issue here, as everywhere these days. The regulations aren't as strict as they are in California, but they are one reason we've designed a paspalum golf course," says Ramsey, noting that this salt-tolerant grass allows course irrigation options that include both effluent and groundwater too brackish for normal turfgrasses. "We've specified Tifeagle greens [bermudagrass]. We also plan to revegetate some portions of the property with oaks and palms from other parts of the property."
This is the first golf resort project for developer Agaoglu, a veteran, Istanbul-based builder of high-rise apartments and office buildings in the city; so far they have done everything right, Ramsey says.
The owners are doing the general earthworks, while Golf International out of Istanbul has been hired to construct the course. Golfplan brought in one of its elite shapers, Jimmy Stevens, to do all the feature work. Stevens handled Golfplan designs at Eagle Ridge in Gilroy, Calif., and Guam International, among others.
The course at Bodrum will only be the tenth course in Turkey so golf is still in its infancy but the increased number of tourists means it is seen as an emerging golf destination.
Source http://www.voicesnewspaper.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1602
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