HOTEL AND SPA SECTOR
Last year, Mintel estimated that there were 2,200 hotels in Turkey with 250,000 bed- rooms and a bed space capacity of 531,000. And according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, there are many hotels in an investment stage with an additional capac- ity of 258,287 beds. The country’s hotel stock is concentrated in the three main cit- ies of Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara and the coastal resorts of Dalaman, Bodrum and Side. Importantly, the sector is dominated by upscale hotels – almost two thirds of all facilities are four- or five-star. Te largest hotel operator domestically is
the Tui Group, which manages 13 resorts, followed by the Dedeman Hotel Group. Other homegrown talent includes: Rich- mond Hotels, part of the Aksoy Group; Les Ottomans, an independent operator (see sb10/2 p34) and Rixos. Alongside this indigenous investment is a growing com- mitment by international brands such as Kempinski, Hyatt, Hilton, Barceló, Star- wood, Ritz-Carlton, Swissôtel, Four Seasons and SAS Radisson. On top of this interna- tional spa operators such as Six Senses and Anantara have also followed suit.
SPA BUSINESS 1 2011 ©Cybertrek 2011
HILTON DALAMAN RESORT AND SPA
The 410-bedroom Hi lton Dalaman arrived on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast in 2009. It includes a 6,000sq m (64,583sq ft) spa, split into two parts: a
free-access area offering basic thermal experiences and a pool, and the Glam- our Luxury Spa with a set entry fee. Facilities of the latter include 22 treat- ment rooms and two Turkish baths – a traditional one and a more elaborate one incorporating a sauna, steamroom, massage room and an Oriental-themed relaxation area. Ayurvedic treatments, a four-hand massage and wellness packages are highlights of the menu. Te spa is managed by Sanitas Spa & Wellness, which also runs the spa at Çirağan Palace Kempinski.
Ümit Yasar Atalay, general manager of
Richmond Hotels, says: “Tere are an esti- mated 400 spa and wellness centres in Turkey, of which 245 are in resort spas as part of five-star hotels, mainly located along the coast.” Te others lie in city locations.
Almost two thirds of hotels in the main cities and coastal resorts are four- to five-star, like the Hilton Dalaman
Indeed, over the past five to 10 years Tur-
key’s spa and wellness industry has been transformed as a result of a number of fac- tors (box, p66). Te advantages of attracting wellness tourists is that they have an average 10-night stay and are high-yielding inter- national visitors. Also, wellness tourism is helping to drive internationalisation in Tur- key and is driving up quality standards and attracting international brands.
THERMAL WAY AHEAD
A core element of wellness tourism provi- sion in Turkey is the hammam – a bathing ritual dating back to the 11th century and transformed by the Ottomans. Today there are more than 57 traditional hammam bath houses in Istanbul. Tis strong, domestic wellness offering has become fundamen- tally integrated in modern spas, albeit with a more contemporary design or service deliv- ery. Te challenge now is for global brands to think up new approaches on incorporating such traditions to avoid formulaic spas.
Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital 65
CASE STUDY
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84