Destination News

ASTA to hold International Destination Expo in Istanbul

NEW YORK — Istanbul, which has been chosen as a European Capital of Culture for 2010, also will host next year’s American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) International Destination Expo.

The four-day conference scheduled for April 19-22, 2010, will put Istanbul on display to this vital group of travel influencers and include a variety of complimentary sightseeing excursions, as well as opportunities for Turkey specialization certifications that agents can add to their professional profiles.
 
The conference provides a blend of exciting tours to familiarize agents with the country as well as concentrated, destination-specific seminars. Both will greatly enhance agents’ knowledge of Turkey’s many attractions and activities. Most importantly, the conference will offer an abundance of networking opportunities with local tour operators offering a wide variety of fascinating itineraries, testament to Turkey’s extremely diverse tourism experiences, and  laying the groundwork for future partnerships.

The conference includes a wide range of complimentary half-day Istanbul familiarization excursions, several of which are broken down into themes such as culinary experiences, major faith-based sites and shopping.  In addition, pre- and post- tours are available to attending ASTA agents at deep discounts. Trips include:

• A journey back through the ages to see Turkey’s vast collection of historic ruins, visiting such ancient sites as Ephesus and Pergamon
  
  
• A “deep dive” into the resort city of Bodrum, already a favorite among Europeans and ready to become the next big American sun and fun destination
  
  
• A trip through time to the “cave region” of Cappadocia, where civilizations have been building cities above ground and on the natural volcanic cliffs for thousands of years
  
  
• Shorter trips to Bursa to visit the Silk Bazaar; Ankara, Turkey’s capital; among others.

Click here for outstanding pre- and post-visit opportunities.

For more information or to register for ASTA’s 2010 Internation Destination Expo in Istanbul, visit www.asta.org/events. To learn more about the exciting activities in Turkey, call 1-877-FOR-TURKEY or contact the Turkish Culture and Tourist Office in New York at 212-687-2194 and visit their Web site at www.tourismturkey.org or www.goturkey.com.

Turkey is a modern nation thriving amidst an outdoor museum, a captivating blend of antiquity and contemporary and of East and West. The cradle of civilization and center of world history today stands as one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the world. Turkey was the site of the first human settlement; the seat of the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman Empires; the birthplace of Homer and the last home of the Virgin Mary, just to name a few. Today Turkey, with its spectacular coastline, majestic mountains, cosmopolitan cities and quaint villages is one of the world’s most fascinating destinations and, for American travelers, a wondrous blend of the exotic and the familiar.