Türkiye is hoping to lure potential homebuyers from China and
more Chinese tourists this year as Beijing relaxed travel rules
after three years, Trend reports citing Hurriyet Daily
News.
Even before COVID-19 hit the world, tourist inflow from China to
Türkiye had increased. People from the tourism industry expect more
Chinese tourists starting from April, while Chinese travelers are
already making reservations in Türkiye for the Chinese New Year
later this month.
The most favorite destinations of Chinese holidaymakers are
Cappadocia and Istanbul.
Experts also anticipate that the increased tourist inflow from
China will also give a boost to the local property and housing
market, while some Chinese companies are also looking for locations
for investments.
Before the pandemic, some 500,000 Chinese tourists visited
Türkiye in 2019, up from around 400,000 in the previous year. Back
in 2004, Türkiye attracted only 35,000 Chinese holidaymakers, and
the 100,000-mark was surpassed in 2012, according to data from the
Culture and Tourism Ministry.
High-spending Chinese tourists travel to different locations in
the country, including the western province of Canakkale, the
southwestern province of Denizli’s Pamukkale, known for its
mineral-rich thermal waters and white travertine terraces, the
northwestern province of Bursa and the district of Safranbolu,
which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
“Hotels have started to receive reservations from Chinese
tourists, particularly for the [Chinese] New Year holiday, which
lasts some eight to 10 days. The main problem is that there are not
enough flights,” said Teyfik Olmez, the president of the Cappadocia
Touristic Hoteliers and Operators’ Association (KAPTİD).
He recalled that there were flights 21 weekly flights before the
pandemic.
Chinese people buy properties in Türkiye mostly for obtaining
Turkish citizenship, which allows them to undertake investments in
the U.S, said Bayram Tekce from the Real Estate International
Promotion Association (GİGDER), noting that Chinese people bought
$52 billion worth of real estate across the globe in 2016.
Chinese investors have shown strong interest in buying
properties in Türkiye in the past years, according to Hakan Bucak,
board chair of MARS.
The pandemic put a break on property sales to the Chinese, but
sales are likely to pick up after the COVID-related restrictions
are relaxed now, Bucak said.
Companies will probably hold more tours for potential Chinese
homebuyers to promote their real estate projects, Bucak noted,
adding that he expects well-off Chinese to increase their purchase
of properties in Türkiye.
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