Turkey/Antalya, 10th Most Popular Destination in the World
Listed among the most preferred destination in 2019, Antalya hosted more than 57 million visitors within the last 5 years. The city which proudly expands along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey has long been a household name for many of the foreigners who consider the city as a frequent destination. However, it is also necessary to evaluate the underlying reasons of Antalya’s success in detail to fully grasp the distinctive feats of this popular city.
Economy of Antalya
Antalya is ranked 6th in terms of GDP and ranked 8th in terms of population. The megacity is also the number one center for tourism even surpassing Istanbul. The city also is an incredibly important agriculture producer. The agriculture industry is one of the top economical traits of Antalya with an almost %20 of land allocated for agricultural production. Thanks to this massive production capacity, fresh fruits and vegetables are accessible in Turkey all year round.
Antalya is also home to many natural resources such as aluminum, chromium, schist, and marble the extraction rate of which are constantly growing.
The city also has one of the densest transport networks in Turkey. There are direct bus routes to almost every city of Turkey and especially the major cities of Turkey. The road network within Antalya, among the districts, are very developed as well. This for example, is one of the primary reasons Alanya gained popularity both as a tourist and permanent residence. The developed road network within the districts helped the resources that have accumulated in the center to trickle down to the peripheral districts. The growing number of real estate for sale in Alanya and the bed capacity of Alanya which accounts to the %35 of the total bed capacity of Antalya.
Apart from tourism and agriculture, the city is also a massive import-export hub. There are more than 170 registered companies ranging from yacht building to flower production. These companies count for more than 5000 active offices which employ 20.000 workers. The city has a stable and reliable economic outlook. For this reason, the population is rising rapidly due to internal migration from neighboring cities. Also, for this reason, the production capacity of Antalya is growing as expected. This also has been confirmed by the rating company Fitch Ratings in a report filed in 2021 which affirms the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality’s outlook as “Stable”.
Additionally; a favorable climate on the Mediterranean coast, affordable housing, and food prices, combined with decent living standards, refined medical services, and well-established educational institutions make the region an attractive location for buying real estate in Antalya indeed. The amount of property sales to foreigners is almost 25% of all transactions. Housing here is suitable not only for own permanent residence but also for generating high rental income: During the peak season the prices traditionally rise leading to an increase in rental or resale profits.
When to Visit Antalya?
Antalya is considered as a true tourism powerhouse. The city proudly hosts more than 2800 hotels and a bed capacity that exceeds 750.000 rightfully gaining the title of tourism locomotive of Turkey. This accounts to more than %35 of all the tourists visiting Turkey and more than %50 of the total bed capacity of Turkey. This capacity successfully hosts an approximate average of 10 million visitors per year. The main driving factor of employment in the city is tourism. Tourism is also the locomotive industry feeding resources into more than 50 sub-industries such as food, agriculture, furniture, construction, entertainment, etc. Obviously, the survival of such industries will not be possible without tourism.
Although the city has a perfectly sunny climate all year round, tourism is not limited to the summer season at all. Thanks to the diversification of tourism into industries such as health tourism, convention tourism and golf tourism the city attracts visitors not in one specific season but all year round. The city’s vastness and expansive natural beauty plays an important part in this reputation, as there are lots of historical attractions of Antalya.
What is The History of Antalya?
Besides being the backbone of Turkish riviera tourism, Antalya also offers substantial historical wealth. The city is in a constant making of more than 2000 years of history. The city was established in 150 BC by King Attalus II of Pergamon and it was named after him. Emperor Hadrian visited the city after two decades in 130 BC and the enormity of this visit still resonates thanks to Hadrian’s Gate, the arch it was built after. The city of Attala soon became a part of the Roman Empire. Under the Roman rule, the city achieved to become a naval force influential throughout the Mediterranean. The glorious remnants of this era can still be witnessed in the Old Town and the Port of Antalya. The city walls, the Hadrian’s Gate and the Antalya Harbour are the symbolic reminders of that bygone era.
In the 14th Century, the city came under the Ottoman rule and this brought a long-lasting stability for the city until the city’s brief capture by the Italians during the WWI and until the 1970s the city was mainly known for its’ agricultural export. It was the 1970s that put Antalya on the map thanks to a fast urbanization and a substantial amount of investment for tourism. Antalya’s fame today basically rests upon these days we mention above.
Why to Visit Antalya, Turkey?
Today five major nations have their consulates in Antalya: UK, Russia, Germany, Serbia and Belgium. This is mainly due to the permanent population and relations Antalya’s administrative and commercial figures developed with these nations. However, it was not until the 1970s that Antalya gained its’ reputation as of now. It was a minor, pastoral city visited by enthusiasts, intellectuals, backpackers and mainly by people in trade. The expansion of the tourism industry in 1970s and some occasions such as the famous diva Dalida’s jubilee concert in 1985 really put Antalya on the map.
Today, Antalya is a go-to location for major international events. Such as the EXPO 2016 and the Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye which were held in Antalya are among the significant events the metropol successfully held. The city is constantly home to exhibitions, fairs and events all around the year. Just to name a few; Antalya International Golden Orange Film Festival, Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival are top cultural events revered globally.
As we mentioned before, Antalya is not frequented by international guests and visitors only during the summertime. The city’s scene is always active. The Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey and the Golf Championships are only a few examples of the rich and diverse the events held are.
It is not only a popular tourism destination but an investment destination as well. Buying a property in Antalya is also a chance to get Turkish Citizenship by investment.