Türkiye's tourism potential is soaring beyond its popular cities like Istanbul and Cappadocia as emerging destinations such as Artvin and Göbeklitepe are adding new dimensions to its appeal, says a senior diplomat.

Onur Saylan, the Consul General of Republic of Turkiye in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said tourism is one of the main and long-standing pillars of the relations between Türkiye and the UAE.

“Türkiye has been a well-known destination for the Emirati brothers and sisters. However, their primary focus are cities such as İstanbul, Trabzon, Yalova and Bursa. We are trying to diversify this potential by presenting alternative destinations like Artvin and new stories such as Göbeklitepe,” Saylan told Khaleej Times during an interview on the sidelines of a reception to mark 102nd National Day of the Republic of Türkiye in Dubai.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, graced the occasion as chief guest while Lütfullah Göktaş, Ambassador of Türkiye to the UAE, and Saylan welcomed the diplomats, businessmen and members of the Turkish community in Dubai.

In his speech, the Consul General highlighted the close bonds of friendship between UAE and Turkiye and paid tribute to the leadership of both countries for the growing trade, economic, cultural and diplomatic ties.

“The 102nd anniversary of our Republic was celebrated in Türkiye and all around the World. It was not only Turkish people in our homeland, but we were joined by our compatriots, friends, brothers and sisters all around the world, including Dubai,” he said.

New tourist attractions

Saylan said new tourist attractions complement Türkiye's rich history, vibrant cities, and breathtaking scenery, offering travellers an unparalleled mix of experiences. The future of Turkish tourism promises diversity, authenticity, and discovery.

“From ancient wonders to untouched natural beauty, Türkiye is positioning itself as a global tourism powerhouse, inviting visitors to explore both its celebrated landmarks and hidden treasures,” the Consul general said.

Turkey's goal of attracting 65 million tourists in 2025 is built on strong past performance and expanding source markets, including from the UAE. Turkey has climbed to one of the most popular tourist destinations for Emiratis and other GCC nationals, appreciated for its mix of history, nature, shopping, and health tourism options.

“We are also trying to reach out to other expat groups living in the UAE as the 'tradition of going back to home country' has been changing and our aim is to attract them to different parts of the country,” Saylan said.

The Turkish Consul General hailed the role of Turkish flag carrier in tourism promotion and said travel from the GCC region has been a significant part of Turkey's tourism market.

“Our main partner in this regard is Turkish Airlines. We arrange fam-trips and alternative tourism packages in collaboration with our national flag carrier Turkish Airlines,” he said.

Turkish Airlines has maintained a growing presence across the UAE, serving both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. As the airline celebrates its 44-year milestone in the UAE, it doubles Abu Dhabi flights to strengthen Gulf links signaling a continued focus on connectivity, reliability, and regional growth within one of the world's most competitive aviation markets.

“One of the strongest and riches elements of our culture is Turkish Cuisine. This year, we started the '7 Regions and 7 Cuisines Culinary Series' as Türkiye is organised in seven different regions with its distinct cuisine and culture. By bringing the chefs and ingredients from each region, we introduce the food, culture and people of that region to the audience here,” the Consul General said.

Exploring business opportunities

Saylan said Dubai remains a popular destination for Turkish people in general and businessmen and investors in particular who are willing to explore business and investment opportunities in the UAE.

“Dubai has been attracting Turkish business community for a long time; however, we proudly see an acceleration in this trend in the past three years. Everyday more and more Turkish businessmen and women from diverse industries pouring into the Emirates,” he said.

In the past, he said it was mainly trade but nowadays Turkish manufacturers are looking for opportunities to produce in the Emirates and sell the products across the world.

“We also accord high importance to this trend and support our business community to make investments in the UAE. Free zones and investment parks have been playing a major role in this regard while Dubai Chamber of Commerce and recently established Ministry of Investment are also very supportive as well,” the Consul General said.

“We are trying our best to make best use of the 'fair and exhibition ecosystem' of the Northern Emirates because thousands of Turkish manufacturers, traders and craftsman come to Dubai and other Emirates every year to showcase their products and get familiarised with other people in the sector,” he said.

Saylan hailed Dubai's strong financial and business ecosystem and said ease of doing business, advanced banking and easy access to capital have been attracting global investors.

“Together with our Financial Attaché, we organise events to build bridges between our business community and the local and international banks in the UAE. We even try our best to encourage local banks to provide tailored made solutions for our businesspeople,” he said.

“At the end of the day, the more the Turkish business in Dubai flourishes, the stronger the relations between our countries. Since the signing of Cepa in 2021, we have been breaking the records in trade volume as Türkiye has become fourth biggest trading partner of the UAE this year,” he said.

The Consul General attribute the credit to visionary leadership of both the countries and expressed his desire to further strengthen in the coming years.

“There is much more we can do together to further deepens bilateral relations and make our strategic partnership stronger than ever,” Saylan concluded.

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