Turkey is planning to overhaul its all-inclusive hotel system as part of a broader strategy aimed at attracting 80 million tourists by 2028. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism intends to prioritize the development of alternative tourism sectors, including gastronomic, cultural, and medical tourism.
According to reports, Mustafa Korkutata from the Ankara Young Entrepreneurs Association stated that the all-inclusive system has devolved into a “consumer terror” model. He pointed out that the percentage of food waste from all-inclusive hotels can reach up to 65%, equating to 220-400 grams of food per person. This food waste costs hotels approximately 50 billion Turkish lira (about $1.5 billion) annually, leading him to argue that the number of establishments operating under this model should be reduced.
By moving away from this “wasteful” format, Turkish hotels could partner with local restaurants. Tourists would have the opportunity to explore the downtown areas of resort cities in the evening, followed by transportation to contracted restaurants for dinner. Korkutata believes that this arrangement would also increase revenue for local businesses.
Representatives of the Turkish tourism industry have repeatedly suggested revising the all-inclusive format, including the implementation of a “pay-as-you-use” model.
Last year, Turkey welcomed 56.7 million tourists and expects to receive 60 million visitors by the end of this year.
