Turkey hosts ‘Night of the Year’ for Europe’s Tourism Industry

Europe's top destinations and leading travel companies will gather under one roof on Friday 1 October at the Rixos Premium Belek, Antalya, Turkey.
All will be hoping to walk away with the most sought-after achievement in the travel and tourism industry - the World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony trophies.
The awards, described by the Wall Street Journal as the ‘Oscars' of the global travel and tourism industry, has helped improve quality, value and customer service over the past 17 years.
Nominees include some of the most respected and successful travel names in the business including Europcar, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Hilton Hotels, Lufthansa, Hertz, Mardan Palace, Tui Travel, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, and The Rocco Forte Collection.
The evening, attended by the region's major company CEO's, tourist board chiefs, association leaders and Government Ministers is set to be a spectacular affair. Focus on Travel News, one of the media partners of the event, will also follow the award ceremony in Antalya.
Entertainment for the evening comes in the form of the world-famous ‘Fire of Anatolia' dance act. This stunning cast of 45 dancers step, stomp and swirl to traditional folk music from the Black Sea to the Balkans. Traditional Turkish dancing with a collaboration of ballet and modern dance, the performance is backed by swirling Turkish music and drumming. Fire of Anatolia also holds the Guiness World Record for the fastest dance performance with 241 steps per minute.
Hosting the event is Seda Akgul, a familiar face on Turkish TV including TV8. Other entertainment on the night includes The Magic Drifters.
European nominees are among 5,000 nominated companies across more than a 1,000 categories, including airlines, cruise companies, destinations, resorts and hotels in 162 countries.
The highly contended title for Europe's Leading Airline sees Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, TAP Portugal and Turkish Airlines fighting it out for the coveted title.
Meanwhile, competition is rife among the countries up for Europe's Leading Destination. The contenders are Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Crete, Dublin, Dubrovnik, Istanbul, Lisbon, London, Pafos, Paris, Prague, Rome, Tallinn, Venice, Vienna and Vilnuis. Italy has the highest odds being the only country to have two destinations nominated.
Going head to head for the title of Europe's Leading Marketing Campaign are: Expedia.com, "Where you book matters"; Spanish Institute of Tourism, "Spain, a country to share"; STA Travel, iPhone campaign; The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel Amsterdam, "The Worst Hotel in the World"; Thomas Cook, 2010 Marketing Campaign; Visit London, "Only in London"; Visit Denmark & Expedia, Joint Campaign and Yorkshire.com, "Welcome to Yorkshire".
But it's the struggle between hotels, large and small, that are likely to see the fiercest competition.
Battling it out for the highly sought after title of Europe's Leading Hotel are Aquapura Douro Valley, Portugal; Castel Monastero, Italy; Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Istanbul, Turkey; Donbass Palace Hotel, Ukraine; Dubrovnik Palace Hotel Conference Centre & Spa, Croatia; Grand Hotel Lienz, Austria; Hotel Le Bristol Paris, France; Hotel Ritz Paris, France; Lešić Dimitri Palace, Croatia; The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, Ireland and White Pod, Switzerland.
Leading the way in hotel sustainability, the following nominees are all eager to gain the coveted title of Europe's Leading Green Hotel: Apex City of London, England; AquaCity Poprad, Slovakia; Ariston Hotel, Italy; Bedruthan Steps Hotel, England; Chateau Mcely, Czech Republic; Choupana Hills Resort & Spa, Madeira; Hotel FOX, Denmark; Ice Hotel, Sweden; Kolarbyn Eco-Lodge, Sweden; Radisson SAS Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland and Strattons, England.
In addition to overall Europe categories, there are awards for 57 countries including: Andorra, Belgium, England, France, Greece, Iceland, Monaco, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and more.
Travel industry professionals throughout the world have been voting online for their preferred companies and organisations during the past four months. Voting has now closed and votes counted ready for the big night.
Consumers increasingly use the list of winners as a reliable guide and means of reassurance when choosing their holiday. Companies and destinations that finish up on the winners podium, receive extensive commercial benefits and global profile.
For a full list of nominees for Europe log on to http://www.worldtravelawards.com/nominees.
Rixos Premium Belek, the leading resort hotel in Belek's Ileribasi district will be hosting the event. Main sponsors include Turkish Airlines and World Mobi.
Winners of the Europe Gala Ceremony go through to the final of the World Travel Awards in London on Sunday 7th November, immediately prior to World Travel Market.

POPULAR TURKEY TRAVEL DESTINATIONS

Ankara City Information (The Capital of Turkey)

The Ankara region's past reaches all the way back to prehistoric times. While there are several versions as to the origin of the name Ankara, it seems as though its historically recorded name has hardly changed ever since antiquity untill our time: Ankyra (Ancyra), Angora, Enggürü and now Ankara.

After having remained within the borders of successively the Hittites, Phrygians, Kimmerians, Persians, Lydians, Macedonians, Galatians, Romans and Seljuks, the town was included in the Ottoman realm in 1354, by the son of Orhan Gazi [Gazi=Veteran Fighter of the Faith, Orhan Gazi was the Ottoman sovereign, �1362], Süleyman Pasha [Pasha=Commander]. In 1902, the Province of Ankara included 5 sanjaks and 21 kazas [sanjak and kaza are subdivisions of an Ottoman province], but in 1924 the sanjaks were abolished according to the Bill on the Principles of Organization and thus the sanjaks of Kayseri, Yozgat, Kirsehir, and Çorum were elevated to province status and thus separated from the Province of Ankara.

Our province, where the planning for the Liberation War and preparations for the founding of the Republic took place, holds a special significance in our recent history. After he had chosen Ankara as headquarters to conduct the proceedings of the Representative Body, Mustafa Kemal was greeted with much enthusiasm upon arriving here on Dec. 27th, 1919. It was here that, from that day on, Mustafa Kemal started to form the foundations of the Turkish Republic. The town of Ankara, declared Capital on Oct. 13th, 1923, was from then on the scene of a rapid social, economical, political, military and cultural development.

CULTURE:
Ankara, which has been the cradle of the Anatolian Civilizations for ages, has been in a rapid social development and renewal especially in the aspect of cultural activities, after becoming the Capital City. In our province, which has been the resort of many civilizations from the Ancient Anatolian culture up to day, we see the deep effects of the developments in the traditions, conventions and culture more clearly in the rural areas.

The trend, which started with imitating the old Ottoman architecture especially in the Dikmen, Çankaya and Gazi Osman Paşa quarters of the province, transformed into modern architecture and pioneered the form and style of today� contemporary Turkish architecture. Besides, the old mansions and houses in the Ankara Castle today still live almost without any changes.

In our province there are about 30 official and private museums, 1 National Library with its renewed facilities, 43 public, 1 mobile and 1 children� library. Moreover, many official and private organizations that address to national and international congress tourism keep alive the cultural activities. In our province there are 343 associations and foundations performing cultural and art activities. There are 418 printing houses, 32 cinemas, 8 state theaters and 21 private theaters in our province.

Our province has made successful works in the field of museums after becoming the Capital City. Anatolian Civilizations (Archaeology) and Ethnography Museums were established in the first years of our Republic and their works of art are rapidly becoming rich.

Anitkabir Ankara Atakule Ankara Ankara Hotels

WHERE TO VISIT?



- Anitkabir (Ataturk Mausoleum)
Located in an imposing position in the Anittepe quarter of the city stands the Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic. Completed in 1953, it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architectural ideas and remains unsurpassed as an accomplishment of modern Turkish architecture. There is a museum housing writings, letters and items belonging to Ataturk as well as an exhibition of photographs recording important moments in his life and the establishment of the republic. (Anitkabir and the museum is open everyday, except Mondays. During the summer, there is a light and sound show in the evenings).

- The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
Close to the citadel gate an old bedesten has been beautifully restored and now houses a marvelous and unique collection including Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian and Roman works. (Open everyday, except Monday. During the summer, the museum opens everyday).

- The Ethnographical Museum
Opposite the Opera House on Talat Pasa Boulevard is the Ethnographical Museum. There is a fine collection of folkloric artifacts as well as fine items from Seljuk and Ottoman mosques. (Open everyday, except Monday).

- The Ankara Citadel
The foundations of the citadel were laid by the Galatians on a prominent lava outcrop, and completed by the Romans; the Byzantines and Seljuks made restorations and additions. The area around and inside the citadel is the oldest part of Ankara and many fine examples of traditional architecture can be seen within the citadel walls. There are also lovely green areas in which to relax.

- The Temple of Augustus
The temple can be found in the Ulus quarter of the city. It was built in the 2nd century BC and only later dedicated to the Emperor Augustus. It is important today for the 'Monument Ancyranum', the testament of Augustus that is inscribed on its walls in Latin and Greek. In the fifth century the temple was converted to a church.

- The Roman Bath
The bath, situated on Cankiri Avenue in Ulus, has the typical features of Roman baths: a frigidarium (cold section), tepidarium (cool section) and caldarium (hot section). They were built in the time of the Emperor Caracalla (3rd century AD) in honor of the god of medicine, Asclepios. Today only the basement and first floors remain.

- The Column of Julian
This column, in Ulus, was erected in 362 AD probably to commemorate a visit by the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate. It stands fifteen meters high and has a typical leaf decoration on the capital.

- Haci Bayram Mosque
This mosque, in Ulus, next to the Temple of Augustus, was built in the early 15th century and subsequently restored by Sinan in the l6th century with Kutahya tiles being added in the 18th century. The mosque was built in honor of Haci Bayram Veli whose tomb is next to the mosque.