The capital of tourism, Antalya, will host approximately 3,000 teams, 90% of which are foreign, from all sports branches, primarily football, this year.
Antalya, the capital of tourism, is experiencing a busy period in sports tourism and will host approximately 3,000 teams, 90% of which are foreign, during the camp season from January to April.
Antalya, one of the world’s most important tourism destinations, broke an all-time record in 2018 by hosting 13.642 million foreign tourists, and is now experiencing its golden age in sports tourism.
Recep Şamil Yaşacan, President of the Sports Tourism Association, told AA reporters that more than 170 football fields in Antalya are now being used by local and foreign football teams for camps.
Yaşacan stated that Antalya will host around 3,000 teams from the Turkish Süper Lig, lower leagues, and foreign football teams, as well as from different sports branches, saying, "Last year we had 1,500 teams; this year we exceeded 2,000, and with reservations, we will approach 3,000. We are enjoying a great season, and our fields are fully booked. There are teams that want to come, but we have to tell them 'no space.'"
Yaşacan emphasized that it’s not just football, but also tennis, swimming, and especially golf teams that are coming to Antalya for camps. He noted that Antalya has 7 Olympic swimming pools, indoor sports halls, and golf courses, where international tournaments are also held.
"It's very difficult for our competitors to catch up with us"
Yaşacan said that 90% of the teams camping in Antalya are foreign, stating, "Good teams are coming. Teams from Russia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bulgaria, Romania, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovenia are here. Even Armenians are coming; you could hold the entire Armenian league here. Germany’s major teams couldn’t make it, but they’ve already made reservations for next year."
Pointing out that Antalya is an ideal city for camps, Yaşacan added, "The facilities here are unmatched anywhere else. Our region is very important for them. If there are no issues in their country, Antalya is the teams' first choice. It’s very hard for our competitors like Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Dubai, and Qatar to catch up with us."
No "dead" season in Antalya
Yaşacan mentioned that thanks to sports tourism, the season in Antalya is spread over 12 months. He explained that hotels used to close during the winter season, but now, "With sports tourism, hotels stay open all year, workers get paid, and farmers sell their tomatoes. Thanks to sports tourism, there is no 'dead' season."
Yaşacan also highlighted that the teams are promoting Turkey in the best way. He said that athletes coming to Turkey reach thousands of people through social media, sharing their impressions of their time here.
He emphasized that sports tourism contributes positively to Turkey’s image abroad, saying, "The teams coming here see how safe Turkey is and make reservations for future seasons."
Yaşacan suggested organizing tournaments among the football teams that come for camps, noting that such tournaments could attract even more teams to the city.
