Getting Ready for the Year of the Dragon in Cappadocia
Chinese tourists are set to return to Cappadocia in Turkey in the first half of 2024 after being absent from the region since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The return of Chinese tourists is expected to bring a significant boost to the tourism sector in Cappadocia, which was a popular destination for Chinese visitors before the pandemic.
According to Teoman Gevrek, deputy general manager of a hotel in the region, there has been an increase in reservation requests from Chinese tourists as the “Year of the Dragon” approaches. “Chinese tourists are very important for our region. They showed great interest until the pandemic. Now we are slowly getting signs that the Chinese market will open,” he said.
Sonay Kuyucu, the manager of a hotel in Ürgüp, also expressed excitement about the return of Chinese tourists. “The Chinese are creating great occupancy in the region. We are very happy to host the Chinese. We hosted a large number of Chinese guests in our hotel in 2019. We may have hosted the last Chinese groups in the region when the pandemic emerged,” Kuyucu said.
Bekir Coşkun, a tourism professional who runs a Chinese restaurant in the town of Göreme, emphasized the importance of Chinese tourists to the region and stated that preparations are being made to offer their own cuisine in Cappadocia.
The return of Chinese tourists is expected to have a positive impact on the region’s economy and further contribute to the development of the tourism sector in Cappadocia. With the anticipated increase in visitors, businesses are gearing up to welcome back Chinese tourists and provide them with a memorable experience in the historical and cultural destination.
