Social media, bloggers boost Arab tourists’ presence in Turkiye

Kuwaiti tourist Dalal Al-Mulaifi had a blast in Sapanca and other cities. She said social media played a role in choosing her holiday destination in Turkiye. (KUNA)

An image of Sapanca huts picked from an online blog dedicated for promoting tourism in Turkiye. (KUNA)

• People from MENA region influenced by popular Turkish dramas, social media and blogs
• Instagram and Snapchat accounts dedicated to promoting Turkish tourism provide detailed information for holidays

ANKARA: Turkiye has witnessed a noticeable increase in the flow of tourists from Arab countries over the past few years thanks to social media and online blogs.
Over the past few years Arabs have been highly influenced and encouraged by popular Turkish dramas, social media and blogs to visit Turkiye’s most popular cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Marmaris and others.
Kuwait’s News Agency reported on Friday that, despite the catastrophic 7.7 and 7.6-magnitude earthquakes that hit southern Turkiye recently, Arab tourists have still traveled to the country for its nature and cultural heritage.
Tourist Sarah Al-Enizi from Kuwait said she was tempted and intrigued to explore a small town on the coast of the Aegean Sea, Kusadasi, due to heavy promotional content on social media.
The detailed content she watched on a Snapchat account was of great assistance and made her trip to Kusadasi an enjoyable experience.
One Kuwaiti blogger documented the holiday of his compatriots Ahmad Al-Kander and Dalal Al-Mulaifi when they visited Sapanca and other cities.
They confirmed that social media played a role in choosing their holiday destinations in Turkiye.
Social media also inspired Egyptian tourist Ala’a Mohammad, who spent his honeymoon traversing across cities including Antalya. It also acted as an eyeopener in terms of visiting and enjoying several unexplored destinations.
Lebanese tourist Mariam Madi spent her vacation on Turkish beaches. She said she had unforgettable experiences at Buyukada, Marmaris and Alanya.
Meanwhile, the owner of an Instagram account dedicated to Turkish tourism, Abdulrahman Mousa Mohammed, said his passion for traveling to Turkiye stimulated him to create his own content and share his experience online for voyagers to benefit from.
His Instagram page offers all vital information on travel to Turkiye from transport, hotels, and various tips and advices.
Kuwaiti tourists were attracted to Bursa for tourism as well as buying real estate, according to Mohammed, who added that Sapanca was a top destination due to its breath-taking nature in addition to Bodrum, where most Kuwaitis seek to relax.
However, Mohammed warned against fake media accounts that entice tourists with low prices and great accommodations but end up facing horrible travel experience.