Arab & Turkish Travel Magazine May 2015

AT &

Arab & Turkish

Trave Magazine MAY 2015

www.arabturkishtravel.com

Istanbul Visit & Shop

Algeria

Morocco

Bahrain

Oman

Comoros

Palestine

Djibouti

Qatar

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

Iraq

Somalia

Jordan

Sudan

Kuwait

Syria

Tunisia

Lebanon

Turkey

Libya

U.A.E

Mauritania

Yemen

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Inside This Issue

06 News From Arab Market 20 Cover Story,Visit and Shop 30 Exhibition ATM 2014 25

Where to Shop at European side of Istanbul The Grand Bazaar

21

Where to Shop at Asian side of Istanbul Capitol

MAY 2015

What to visit at European side of Istanbul Blue Mosque

23 What to visit at Asian side of Istanbul Kad覺k繹y

21 News From Arab Market

06

Lebanon

Palestine

Syria

Algeria

Egypt

Libya

Qatar

Tunisia

Bahrain

Iraq

Mauritania

Saudi Arabia

Turkey

Comoros

Jordan

Morocco

Somalia

U.A.E

Djibouti

Kuwait

Oman

Sudan

Yemen

Arab & Turkish Travel Magazine Prepared by S&M Publication Ltd. ART DIRECTOR: Fatih Tahtal覺 OFFSET PREPARATION: Intas Basim FILM&PRINTED: Intas Basim HEAD OFFICE: S&M PUBLICATION LTD.Muratreis Muradiye Mektep Sokak 13/1 Baglarbasi- 81140 Istanbul-TURKEY Tel:+90.216.391 3795 Fax:+90.216.391 3796 www.arabturkishtravel:com ALL EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES TO suat@arabturkishtravel.com - ozgur@arabturkishtravel.com

4 MAY 2015

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News From Arab Market

Algeria ATR Delivers its 200th ATR-600 to Air Algerie The delivery of the first new ATR 72-600 to Africa’s largest operator; Air Algeria comes along with another important milestone for ATR celebrating its 200th ATR -600 aircraft delivery.

The ATR 72-600, with its unique combination of flexibility on regional routes, safety and unbeatable fuel efficiency, will enable the airline to offer its passengers more destinations and at unique comfort standards.

The first of three ATR 72-600s ordered earlier this year will join an existing fleet of 12 ATR 72-500s currently operating at the airline. The deliveries will continue until June 2016.

“Air Algerie’s fleet growth is consistent with the route expansion. It is part of the commitment to support the country’s rapidly growing air transport whilst keeping in mind the development strategy of the airline,” Mr Boultif, Chief Executive Officer of Air Algerie said. “The ATR 72-500 aircraft has proven to be extremely efficient in service with Air Algerie and is very much liked by our passengers. We look forward to developing our operations across the region, with the new generation ATR 72-600s”.

Air Algerie first flied ATRs in 2003 and is today one of the long-term ATR customers in Africa and Middle East. Today, the carrier is the latest operator to join a group of airline in the region to put confidence in the new generation ATR-600 aircraft.

will identify and select the list of beneficiaries, Bahrainis, who are unable to finance a Umrah pilgrimage, now have the opportunity to perform the rites of Umrah. The chosen pilgrims will have the opportunity to fly with Gulf Air to perform the rites of Umrah until June 2015.

Gulf Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Maher Salman Al Musallam commented at a meeting with representatives from the three selected Umrah contractors: “This is a continuation and natural culmination of our ongoing commitment to corporate and social responsibility and our drive to better serve the Bahraini community. On behalf of the Gulf Air management team and the extended Gulf Air family, we are delighted and honored to extend a helping hand in this manner. This is part of our obligation towards the greater communities in which we operate and part of our responsibility as good corporate citizens.”

“These three Umrah contractors have come forward to support our efforts in facilitating Umrah for all and this is truly a welcome and positive development. We look forward to welcoming Bahraini pilgrims and hope to work more closely with such organizations/agencies on future initiatives.”

Mr. Al Musallam concluded. Representing the three Umrah contractors, Mr. Abdullah Al Ali (Al Mowasim), Mr. Mohammed Saleh (Al Sharaf) and Mr. Sohaib Sharif (Sohaib Al Roumi) welcomed their partnership with Gulf Air and stressed their support of this positive initiative and their commitment to ensuring the utmost comfort for the Bahraini pilgrims throughout their travels and while performing their religious duties.

Gulf Air prides itself on having a special connection with the Bahraini community, and is involved in a number of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives with a number of local organizations. The airline continues to give back to the community through various activities such as sponsoring events, supporting charities and local initiatives.

Comoros Mayotte Ferry Suspended, New Blow to Comoros Tourism

Bahrain Bahrain Visa Rules for GCC visitors GCC residents and citizens will be eligible for a one-month multiple-entry visa to Bahrain under new rules due to take effect from next Wednesday. GCC residents and citizens of 102 countries will also be able to get three-month multiple-entry visas.

Visitors with the new visa will only be able to stay for two weeks at a time. However, they were previously only entitled to a single entry visa for a two-week stay.

The fees are the same – BD25 ($66).

Gulf Air Facilitates Umrah for Bahraini Pilgrims The Kingdom of Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has announced a partnership with Bahrain-based Umrah contractors Al Mowasim, Al Sharaf and Sohaib Al Roumi that will give pilgrims wishing to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah but with insufficient funds to do so, free, comprehensive Umrah packages including flights, accommodation and dedicated guides, if needed.

The agreement will ensure that, in coordination with official bodies who

6May 2015

French authorities on the island of Mayotte have suspended all ferry services linking the island with the rest of the Comoran archipelago due to safety negligence. Already, flight connections between Mayotte and Comoros are restricted, giving further blows to the planned development of tourism and trade in Comoros.

Mayotte, which is a Comoran island that insists on remaining French, is the major site of arrivals of foreign tourists to the archipelago, given its relatively good international connections. Many visitors to Comoros have used Mayotte as an entrance point for island hopping on the archipelago.

This option has now been barred by the French maritime authorities in Mayotte. According to local reports, the Comoran ferry connecting Mayotte and Grande Comore has been prohibited accessing the port of Dzaoudzi.

Authorities for a long time had tolerated security flaws of the ferries, but continuous failures to comply with French standards finally saw the service suspended.

The reaction by Mayotte authorities comes after the 1 December accident on the ferry ‘Ville de Sima’, which was partly destroyed by a fire as it approached ht coast of Mayotte. This prompted maritime authorities to launch an inspection on the remaining ferries, which by far did not meet safety standards. Other passenger ferry services between Mayotte and Comoros had been closed for the same reasons earlier this year.

For the economic development of newly stabilised Comoros, the closure of one of the last connections with Mayotte is a major setback. The ferry services were important for trade between the islands and for the slowly developing tourism sector.

The suspension comes in addition to other setbacks in the infrastructure sector. Flights between Mayotte and Comoros have been stopped by Mahorais authorities for most of the last decade to prevent the substantial illegal immigration from Comoros. Equally, there are very few flights connecting the Comoran capital Moroni with the outside world.

The national airliner, Air Comore, was crippled by a disastrous attempt to

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News From Arab Market privatise it in the end-1990s. Air France suspended its services to Moroni in 1997 and with the end of Air Comore, few connections remain. Most international connections now go via the French island of Réunion or via other regional airports.

In November this year, everything was going to change, with ambitious plans by Réunion’s second airliner, Air Bourbon. Together with capital from Comoros and France, it was to launch the new Comoran carrier Air Comores International, based in Moroni. Air Comores was to connect Moroni directly to Paris, Marseille, Mayotte, Réunion, Mauritius and Dubai.

On 27 November, however, after the plans to launch Air Comores International already were delayed, Air Bourbon went bankrupt. The Reunionese company had invested too much, too rapidly in its ambition to become the Indian Ocean’s principal airliner. Comoran authorities are looking for new investors to take the place of Air Bourbon, but have so far not been successful.

One of the main aims of the new Comoran airliner had been to promote the “immediate development of the economy and the tourism sector” of the Comoran archipelago. Comoros remains the Indian Ocean destination less developed for tourism, while neighbouring nations such as Seychelles, Mauritius and Réunion have become wealthy on the tourism industry.

Political turbulence, including around 20 coups and coup attempts since independence, has been the major reason for Comoros’ failure to develop its tourism potential. As the new Comoro Union, with ample autonomy for the archipelago’s three islands, is now established and political stability is planned for, Comoros aims at copying the tourism successes of its neighbours.

Djibouti New Qatar Airways flights to Djibouti Qatar Airways has continued its expansion in Africa with the launch of services to its latest destination, Djibouti.

The fivestar airline commenced the threetimes-weekly flights from Doha’s Hamad International Airport to Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport, marking the airline’s 145th global destination.

Addressing ministers, ambassadors, government officials and travel trade partners during the inaugural event in Djibouti, Qatar Airways vice president Africa Jared Lee, said: “Qatar Airways is proud to be the first five-star airline connecting Djibouti to popular business and leisure destinations across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas.

“Djibouti presents a great opportunity as the country has huge appeal for many with its wealth of natural resources and tourist attractions.

“Qatar Airways is delighted to give business travellers and tourists who wish to visit Djibouti, and also the people of Djibouti, an additional route to and from this destination.”

The Doha–Djibouti route will be served with an Airbus A320 featuring up to 12 seats in Business Class and up to 132 seats in Economy.

Egypt SITA Technology Transforms Egypt’s Hurghada Airport Hurghada International Airport—the gateway to Egypt’s Red Sea Riviera—is transforming the passenger experience at its new terminal with airport solutions from air transport IT specialist, SITA. The airport is using SITA’s passenger processing platform, baggage management and airport operations systems to enhance the passenger experience with new selfservice options, the latest baggage management solutions and shorter queues. The new solutions are also helping the airport improve operational

8May 2015

efficiency by integrating airport systems and providing a single control point for airport operations.

Dr. Eng. Mahmoud Esmat, Chairman of Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation, said: “SITA was able to provide us with a complete solution that corresponded exactly to our needs. We have worked with SITA for many years, and we appreciate their strong presence and support team in Egypt.”

Eng. Ismail Aboulez, Chairman and CEO of the Aviation Information Technology Company (AVIT), the organization that manages the airport, said: “We have made major renovations at Hurghada Airport to better serve the growing number of leisure passengers in the region as Egypt’s tourism sector continues to recover. SITA’s airport solutions incorporate the industry’s most advanced technology and align with industry trends, such as self-service. So we’re creating a more enjoyable passenger experience, while at the same time cutting costs and improving operational efficiency.”

SITA has implemented a full range of industry-leading airport solutions in Hurghada. SITA’s AirportConnect Open passenger processing platform provides the airport with more than 135 common-use workstations and 10 common-use AirportConnect Kiosk self-service kiosks for check-in. With the new platform, all airlines using the airport can access their respective IT applications in real-time on shared equipment. They can also use any airport desk, gate or self-service kiosk for passenger check-in and boarding for maximum flexibility and convenience. SITA’s Airport Management Solution helps integrate and simplify operations management so the airport has a single control point and can take action as needed. This includes an advanced resource management tool, AirportResource Manager, which enables the airport to manage resources and equipment in real time and make sure they are available when and where they are needed.

And SITA’s BagManager baggage management system is improving baggage processing efficiency at the airport, while simplifying baggage operations and facilitating on-time departures.

Hani El-Assaad, SITA President, Middle East, India & Africa said: “SITA has partnered with Egypt’s Aviation Information Technology Company for more than a decade, helping to facilitate its strategic growth plans with innovative technology. We worked very closely together on this project to design and deliver an in-house turnkey solution aligned with the airport’s specific needs.”

Hurghada International Airport provides regular service to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, and offers direct connections to several European destinations. More than 40 airlines offer seasonable charter flights to cities in Eastern and Western Europe, Scandinavia and Russia. The new terminal, which was officially inaugurated in December 2014, will raise the airport’s capacity by 115% to 13 million passengers annually.

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo Awarded Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence, a leading luxury hotel in Cairo, has been recognized as a top performing hotel based on guest reviews on Booking. com, the world leader in online accommodation booking. The Hotel received an overall review score of 8.8 on Booking. com for 2014, taking the number two position in Cairo with thousands of reviews by guests from around the world who have consistently praised the outstanding hospitality, superior comfort and world class facilities of the Hotel. “We are extremely proud of our achievements and accomplishments,” says General Manager Mahmoud ElKeiy. “This accolade is a result of our team’s commitment of offering superior quality and unrivalled personalized hospitality to our Four Seasons guests.” The Award of Excellence is given out by Booking.com to properties on an annual basis in honour of their achievements over the past year as measured by their overall guest review score.

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News From Arab Market

Iraq

The move is in line with Royal Jordanian regulation in case a passenger falls sick during a flight. An ambulance was waiting upon landing, and the passenger was accompanied by Royal Jordanian’s employees at Montreal station to one of the hospitals close to the airport.

Turkey’s Divan to Open a Hotel in Bagdad Divan Group, the phenomenon of hotel management of Turkey, announced a new hotel that will be opened in Bagdad, Iraq. Divan Group announced the signing of a management agreement with Usul Al-Yaman Real Estate Investment LLC. Divan Group will operate the hotel for 15 years. The 5-star Divan Bagdad is slated to open in first quarter of 2018 and will be Divan Group’s 24th property. The hotel, which is expected to operate as a business hotel, will offer 150 guest rooms. The hotel is conveniently located on the Al Hurria Square – Karada Kharidge Street, just 1.8 km from Bagdad Green Zone, 1.2 km from Bagdad University and 15 km from Bagdad International Airport.

Jordan Jordan Olympic Committee to Honour Athletes at Black Iris Sports Awards The Jordan Olympic Committee will honour Jordan’s top athletes at the Black Iris Sports Awards on 23 March at the Hala Hall in Al Hussein Youth City.

A total of five awards will be presented at the annual ceremony with nominees representing a variety of sports across Jordan. Two Black Iris Sports Awards have been decided in advance of the ceremony with recipients Rana Qubbaj and Eman al Adayleh being honoured in the categories of Best Sportswoman and Best Young Achiever – Female after the expert panel decided their 2014 achievements were unrivalled.

The nominees for the remaining three Black Iris Sports Awards are as follows: Best Sportsman Abdel Rahman Al Masatfeh (Karate): Silver at Asian Games Odai Al Hindawi (Boxing): Silver at the Asian Games Mohammad Salameh (Muay Thai): Bronze at Asian Beach Games, Gold in Arab Championship Best Young Achiever – Male Obadah Al Kisbeh (Boxing): Bronze at Asian Games Hamzeh Qattan (Taekwondo): Silver at World Youth Championships Zaid Al Halawani (Taekwondo): Gold at World Junior Championships Best Paralympic Athlete Moutaz Al Juniadi (Weightlifting): Gold at World Championships, Silver at Paralympic Asian Games Khetam Abu Awad (Table Tennis): Silver at World Championships, Bronze at Parlaympic Asian Games Abdel Kareem Khattab (Weightlifting): Gold in Asian Paralympic Games JOC Secretary General Lana Al Jaghbeer commented: “Created in 2006, the Black Iris Sports Awards are Jordan’s sporting Oscars – recognising the immense sporting talent that we have in Jordan. The Awards provide an excellent opportunity for our passionate community of fans in Jordan and around the world to honour our athletes and recognise their hard work.

Royal Jordanian Diverts Flight to Montreal Royal Jordanian diverted flight RJ 264, a Boeing 787 from Chicago to Amman, four hours after its departure; it landed at Montreal Airport on March 16 to provide first aid to a passenger.

The 70-year-old Jordanian female passenger suddenly felt extreme fatigue during the flight, which made the captain request permission to land at the nearest airport to offer her treatment as quickly as possible.

10May 2015

The plane, with 224 passengers on board, resumed its flight to Amman after a two-hour delay in Montreal. Royal Jordanian strives to ensure the comfort and safety of passengers, which is a priority for the airline despite the high cost incurred in case of emergency landings, due to additional fuel consumption and the airport landing and take-off fees and over flying charges.

Kuwait More Pegasus Flights to Kuwait Pegasus continues its steady expansion with the addition of new routes and an increase in flight frequencies. After the launch of the Kuwait route in March 2014, Pegasus’ daily flights to Kuwait are to increase to 8x weekly in April, 10x weekly in May and double daily as of July 2015. Pegasus guests can enjoy twice daily flights on Wednesdays as of April, and on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May onwards. As of 10 July, Pegasus will operate twice daily flights every day of the week between Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen and Kuwait.

Guests can check the flight schedule and book their flights to Kuwait on flypgs.com/en with fares starting at just £172 one way including taxes and charges. Pegasus guests can also pre-order their meals with Pegasus Café up to 24 hours prior to travel, making their journey even more enjoyable.

Jazeera Airways records 7% Increase to Istanbul Route Jazeera Airways released its November 2014 Operational Performance Report today, which shows a 7% increase in total flown passengers from November 2013, and an on-time performance of 95%.

Jazeera Airways issues its Operational Performance Report on both a monthly and annual basis. The Report is based on official figures and statistics from Kuwait’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The airline’s on-time performance is based on its reporting, in comparison to results by the independent US-based OTP tracker, FlightStats.

Jazeera Airways saw a 7% increase in flown passengers from November 2013 on routes serving Istanbul, Beirut and Amman. The increase in flown passengers comes during a low-season month when families return from summer holidays into the school season.

Flown passengers also increased on routes serving Egypt, increasing by 10% from November 2013 to the five cities served during the month, compared to six cities served in November 2013. The decrease in number of cities served comes after the Assiut International Airport was momentarily closed for renovations. On routes serving the Gulf cities of Dubai, Bahrain, Jeddah and Riyadh, Jazeera Airways saw a 9% increase in flown passengers from November 2013.

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Lebanon Lebanon’s Tourist Numbers up Recent statistics show that passenger traffic at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport is expected to total nearly seven million by end of the year.

According to the official, the seven million figure is a year-on-year increase of 11.7% from 6,264,368 in 2013. The Ministry of Tourism also revealed that the year-on-year number of tourists visiting Lebanon from April to September this year increased. In particular, 142,163 visitors came for Eid al-Fitr in June, compared to 136,256 in June 2013.

Europeans topped the list in the first nine months of 2014, with 344,875 tourists, followed by 328,774 arrivals from Arab countries. The total number of passengers from January to November reached 5,994,852, a year-on-year increase of 4.18%.

Lebanon, Turkey to Restart Baghdad flights Turkish Airlines and Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) resumed flights to Baghdad after halting them earlier in the week when bullets hit a plane as it was landing in the Iraqi capital.

An MEA official and the Turkish Airlines website confirmed that both carriers, which provide daily flights to Baghdad, had resumed service.

At least seven airlines suspended flights to Baghdad following the shooting incident. flydubai, Emirates, Air Arabia and Etihad Airways suspended flights in line with a directive from the United Arab Emirates’ civil aviation authority.

A flydubai spokesman said its service would remain suspended until February 2, whilst an official at Air Arabia said he was not aware of any changes to the suspension. There was no immediate word from the other carriers.

A message on Qatar Airways’ website on Thursday said service between Doha and Baghdad had been suspended until February 5 with resumption subject to daily review.

Iraqi Transport Minister Bayan Jabor said the plane operated by budget carrier flydubai was hit at an altitude of 600 metres (2,000 feet) by gunfire from what he said was likely a light machine gun.

Libya Russian Aviation Authority Bans flying to Libya

As Libya is currently facing its worst wave of violence since the 2011 overthrow of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi that prompted a civil war. Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsiya announced that all Russian airlines are banned from flying to the Libyan capital of Tripoli. “With regards to information received from the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) on the existing risks in security for international flights by civilian aircraft within the flight information region (FIR) of Tripoli because of the armed conflict in Libya, Tripoli’s FIR is to be prohibited for use for flights of civilian aircraft, including transit flights,” the statement reads.

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Morocco Experience the best of Morocco at the La Sultana properties

The luxurious La Sultana properties are the ideal choice for first time visitors to Morocco or for those who wish to combine a city break with a relaxing beach holiday. World-renowned for their authentic Moroccan design, unrivalled locations, organic spa brand and outstanding cuisine, the La Sultana hotels offer one of the most memorable guest experiences for travellers to this increasingly accessible and popular destination.

La Sultana, Marrakech Located in the heart of the historical Medina, La Sultana is one of the most beautiful hotels in Marrakech, possibly the world. An oasis of calm, away from the bustle of the kasbah, La Sultana comprises five separate riads cleverly blended to create a peaceful home-from-home in the centre of one of the world’s most exciting cities.

La Sultana Marrakech boasts the largest rooftop terrace in the Golden Triangle. The 1500m2 space offers spectacular 360 degree views of Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains. The terrace is the heart and soul of La Sultana, guests can take part in professionally run cookery courses, take afternoon tea and soak up the unique atmosphere of the Medina over dinner with its panoramic views over the city’s souks and mosques. The acclaimed bar and rooftop restaurant offer a range of signature cocktails and mouthwatering local and Western dishes to guests throughout the day.

The 28 individually styled bedrooms and suites showcase the very best of Moroccan craftsmanship. Guests can escape the heat and relax all year round in a heated swimming pool surrounded by palm, banana and sica trees. For those who wish to relax, the large traditional spa is a haven away from the city’s busy streets. Made from crimson marble with a high vaulted ceiling the striking design and colour scheme evoke a sense of calm and relaxation. The spa comprises a crystal clear turquoise lap pool, individual hammams, treatment rooms and relaxation areas.

When not enjoying the beautiful surroundings of the hotel, become immersed in the fascinating culture and history of Marrakech through one of the La Sultana’s urban safaris or privately guided experiences. The tours take in the historical Kasbah District and the UNESCO World Heritage listed Medina, which includes the famous Jemaa El Fna square, the Saadian Tombs, the Royal Palaces and the Bahia Palace, all within walking distance from the hotel.

La Sultana, Oualidia This is a very special kind of retreat, an oasis situated by an open lagoon on the Atlantic coast of Morocco and halfway between Marrakech and Casablanca airports. This peaceful lagoon is a rare ecosystem, with its miles of sandbanks, internationally renowned oyster beds and saltwater marshes.

The hotel is located near a picturesque fishing harbour, which hosts a colourful farmers market every weekend. In contrast to Marrakech, the pace here is slower and more peaceful.

Each of the 12 rooms and suites make the most of the stunning views and incredible light. Each room has been individually designed with large bathrooms, private terraces with water features and a sea-water jacuzzi fed by the lagoon. The interiors have been designed using natural materials from the surrounding areas, showcasing the local craftsmanship in a contemporary and chic style, giving each room a luxurious and elegant feel.

With dressed sandstone ceilings, zellige flooring and honey-coloured walls, the rooms blend modern comfort with local Moroccan undertones.

La Sultana Oualidia has possibly the most beautiful infinity swimming pool on the Moroccan Mediterranean coast. Its unparalleled position overlooks the 11km long lagoon. Due to its location, the watersports activities, including surfing, kayaking and windsurfing are superb. There is a choice of dining locations, the outdoor dining area on the hotel’s private beach, the sunken Lagoon Dining Room or for a more leisurely dining experience guests can relax on a lounger at the end of the jetty to watch the region’s stunning

May 201511

News From Arab Market sunsets. Renowned for its fresh seafood; clams, lobster and oysters (the Oualidia speciality) of exceptional quality are locally sourced and grilled over a charcoal in front of guests.

For a truly unique stay, a treehouse suite is hidden amongst dense and fragrant foliage in the grounds. One of the tree’s main branches is the centerpiece of the suite, immersing guests in the natural environment.

A full-length window affords breathtaking views over the horizon and a private sea-water jacuzzi is set into the treehouse’s spacious terrace.

For those who wish to truly relax, the underground spa with its ionized and heated indoor swimming pool, hammams, fitness centre and relaxation area will soothe both the body and mind.

This part of the Moroccan Atlantic coast will become even more accessible to UK travellers from May 2015. Accessible via a transfer from Marrakesh and Casablanca, Easyjet will be launching direct flights from Luton to the sea-port of Essaouira from 1st May.

Oman Oman Hotel Revenues Rise According to the latest report released by the Oman’s National Centre for Statistics and Information, revenues rise 10.3 percent at the country’s 4 and 5 star hotels.

The occupancy rate in this segment recorded a 2.7 per cent annual growth, reaching 59.9 per cent from the 2013 figure of 58 per cent, buoyed by a 26 per cent uptick in the number of guests to 785,612 in 2014 from 622,805 in 2013.

In the last quarter of 2014, November witnessed the highest occupancy rate at 70.8 per cent while December logged the lowest at 62.9 per cent.

Also last year, the number of guests from African countries registered the highest percentage increase at 59 per cent, even as the numbers remained modest: A total of 5,788 Africans stayed in Oman’s star hotels last year.

They were followed by Oceanians whose numbers rose 41 per cent to 10,328 compared with 2013 figures. Non-GCC Arabs and Asians claimed the subsequent spots logging a growth of 38.8 per cent and 38.4 per cent respectively with corresponding numbers of 30,641 and 82,991 in 2014.

Europeans formed the largest guest group with 270,567 of them checking in at major hotels, showing a 33 per cent increase from 203,583 recorded in 2013. Omanis were a close second with 230,307 nationals choosing star accommodation last year compared to 191,223 in 2013, which amounted to a rise of 20.4 per cent.

Qatar Qatar Museums Launches the Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of Culture Qatar Museums officially launched Qatar Turkey 2015 during a VIP reception held at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha that attended by the Qatari Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Dr Hamad Bin Abdulaziz AlKuwari, the Turkish Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Professor Ahmet Haluk Dursun, His Excellency the Qatari Ambassador in Turkey Mr. Salem Al Shafi, and the Ambassador of Turkey to Qatar His Excellency Mr Ahmet Demirok.

Held under the patronage of QM’s Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of Culture

12May 2015

will be the fourth consecutive Year of Culture, following Qatar Japan 2012, Qatar UK 2013 and Qatar Brazil 2014. It will celebrate the relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkey through cultural partnerships between Qatari and Turkish organisations, institutions and individuals.

Reflecting on the Years of Culture in general and Qatar Turkey 2015 in particular, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said “Culture and art support the realisation of our National Vision.

The success of Qatar Brazil demonstrated just how important art and culture is in bridging between nations, connecting people and further encouraging cultural exchange. I’m excited and proud to celebrate the strong artistic heritage and links between Qatar and Turkey this year. Doing so will promote mutual understanding and strengthen our existing ties. It will also support and inspire the next generation of cultural audiences and ideas. I look forward to what promises to be an incredible year.”

Qatar Airways Participates in Qatari-Japanese Economic Forum Qatar Airways has reaffirmed its commitment to its Japanese routes and denied the recent rumours of withdrawing from Japan following participation in the high-level Qatari-Japanese Economic Forum held in Tokyo on Friday 20 February, 2015. The comments came following a successful Forum visit led by the Emir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and a group of VIP dignitaries from Qatar’s most significant organisations and companies.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, who was a keynote speaker in a high-level workshop, said: “Since 2008, Qatar Airways has transported close to 1.5 million passengers on its flights to Japan, carried over 40,000 tonnes of cargo, and we are proud to say that we have generated 25 per cent year-on-year passenger traffic growth between Japan and Qatar since 2008.

“On June 18 last year, we touched down at Tokyo Haneda International Airport marking our third destination in Japan, and we are just as committed today to our Japanese routes as when we launched them. Qatar Airways continues to look forward to working together with our partners here to enhance our operations in Japan.”

The year 2014 was the “Year of the Fleet” for Qatar Airways with the introduction of its bespoke A380 of which the airline now has four, and the arrival of the Airbus A350, for which Qatar Airways is the global launch customer. Qatar Airways also introduced a new daily Boeing 787 Dreamliner service to Japan in June 2014 on its Doha – Tokyo Haneda route. The airline currently operates three daily routes to Japan: Osaka, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita.

Qatar Airways moved to its new home at Hamad International Airport (HIA) in May 2014, the world’s latest and most advanced aviation hub with an initial capacity of 30 million passengers per annum, rising to 50 million upon full completion. Featuring ground-breaking design coupled with contemporary styling and the very latest technology, HIA sets new airport benchmarks and redefines the passenger and transit experience.

Saudi Arabia Saudi Tourists to Turkey Up The number of Saudi tourists that visited Turkey last year is up 30 percent compared to the previous year.

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Hotel Izmir Palas Atatürk Caddesi 35210 Izmir-Turkey. Tel:+90 232 465 00 30 Fax:+90 232 422 68 70info@izmirpalas.com.tr – www. izmirpalas.com.tr

News From Arab Market Turkish Airlines Manager for Riyadh Erol Senol said 320,000 Saudis visited Turkey last year. He said Turkish Airlines began operations in Saudi Arabia in 1977. Operations in Riyadh started 24 years ago, and in 2011 a branch was launched under the Turkish Airlines name in the Kingdom.

Mustafa Goksu, senior advisor from the Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey said Saudi businessmen are showing increasing interest in the country. Currently, there is SR13 billion worth of Saudi investments in the country, which includes SR3.75 billion in the real estate sector. “Our country offers attractive investment opportunities for Saudi businessmen.” He said there is an incentive scheme in place for investors from the Kingdom. The country would also be more stable after elections in June, he said.

Istanbul Recorded 18 % Increase in Arrivals from Saudi Arabia Istanbul got off to a strong start in 2015 that number of arrivals to the city continues to increase compare to previous year.

Istanbul Culture and Tourism Directorate announced 8.8 percent increase in the number of tourists visiting the city in January 2015 compare to January 2014.

According to the statistics, a total of 591.496 tourists visited Istanbul in January 2015. Last year this month a total of 635.283 tourists arrived; an increase of 8.8 percent.

Country

2015

2014

Change

Germany

51.123

46.458

10,04%

Iran

41.503

30.972

34,00%

Russian Fed.

34.199

41.691

-17,97%

USA

23.899

22.392

6,73%

UK

23.889

23.479

1,75%

Saudi Arabia

23.105

19.594

17,92%

S. Korea

23.067

19.236

19,92%

Italy

22.486

20.801

8,10%

France

21.931

20.499

6,99%

Libya

20.993

28.484

-26,30%

Ukraine

20.130

19.357

3,99%

Azerbaijan

18.725

15.859

18,07%

Iraq

17.995

13.974

28,77%

Kuwait

16.718

7.026

137,94%

The Netherlands

15.718

14.655

7,25%

Syria

15.673

14.124

10,97%

Tourism Gets Better in Jeddah Tourist arrivals and spending increase in Jeddah thanks to the festivals and activities that draw huge crowds to the historical city.

Tourist arrivals in Jeddah increase by 70% and tourist spending has also risen by 50 percent with restaurants and fast food capturing the most sales and high quality restaurants registering a 45 percent increase.

14May 2015

Hotels and furnished apartments have also recorded an increase of 75 percent as tourists take advantage of online bookings to rent accommodations.

Jeddah is the most preferred tourist destination due to its fine weather, said Mishal Al-Nafe’, executive director for Al-Nafe consultations. He attributed the high occupancy rates in hotels to the affordable packages and the reasonable prices, stressing that the price regulations were under the supervision of the Saudi Commission for Travel and Antiquities.

He stated that the number of licensed hotels under the SCTA was 113 with 12,000 rooms; furnished units stood at 434 with more than 10,000 apartments; the number of travel agent offices reached 387 with 100 tour operating office and there were more than 49 tourist guides.

Tunisia Tunisair Business Class Service from Istanbul From March 29, 2015, Tunisair announced the launch of its Business Class “Espace Privilege” on its flights from Istanbul to Tunis (and vice versa).

Passengers who book on Business Class will have privilege to use dedicated check-in counters at airport to save precious time.

Customers are also entitled baggage allowance to 2 x 23kg in addition to 2 hand luggage (overall weight of 10 kg.). Tunisair invites customers to take advantage of the offer “promotional business rate” from 399 EUR (taxes included).

Business Class passengers will also have a special invitation to the lounge that will be extended to offer total comfort. Furthermore, on arrival, passengers will have priority baggage delivery.

UNWTO strongly condemns attack in Tunisia UNWTO is deeply saddened and shocked by the attack in the Bardo Museum in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. UNWTO conveys its heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims who lost their lives or were injured, and expresses its solidarity to the people and the Government of Tunisia and to the governments of all nationals who were killed. “This act of violence deserves the condemnation of the international community. As part of the global tourism family, we are shocked by these horrible attacks. The relatives and friends of the victims are in our thoughts and we once more convey our solidarity with the people and the Government of Tunisia” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “Tourism is a lifeline for the economy of Tunisia and we will continue our support to ensure that tourism continues to provide development opportunities to its people,” he added.

Tunisia is Looking for Stability and Growth According to Selma Elloumi Rekik, Tunisia’s new minister of tourism and handicrafts, a period of consolidation and growth is what tourism in Tunisia now needs. Rekik is a member of the first government to come to power after free elections following the fall of the dictator Ben Ali, and was sworn in in February of this year.

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Welcome aboard Business Class “Espace Privilege”

10

Scheduled flights per week

Istanbul ✈ Tunis ✈ Istanbul

live for the day tunisair.com

For more information Please contact TUNISAIR.

Address: Valikonağı Caddesi No: 8/1 Nişantaşı / İstanbul Tel: +90 212 225 88 53 - 241 70 97 email: info@tunisairturquie.com - agences@tunisairturquie.com

News From Arab Market At ITB Berlin the minister presented her plans for the coming five years.

Besides beach tourism, which remains the mainstay of the tourism market, her aim is to establish alternative tourism. The focus here is on tours with the historical train line through the country’s interior and on the Festival Les Dunes Electroniques, which this February attracted 5,000 visitors to the Sahara. The music festival is set amid sand dunes in Neftastatt close to the original location where filming of the Star Wars saga took place.

Thalasso therapy, city and cultural tourism are among other areas intended to attract more visitors. In the wake of the 2011 popular uprising against the dictatorship tourist numbers collapsed. According to the Tunisian Tourist Board, in 2014 figures rose by 0.3 per cent compared to 2013. During the travel season in August and September visitor numbers even exceeded those of 2010, the year before the outbreak of the revolution. In 2014 Tunisia was visited by 425,648 tourists from Germany, which after France was the second most important source market.

The minister said that safety was her government’s utmost priority and noted that “visitors and locals must be safe and feel safe.“ She pointed out that in recent years there had not been a single attack on tourists.

Turkey The Best Things to See and Do in Istanbul

In Brief Leyla Taskin

Erdem Bilgin

Arcan Bayraktaroglu

Mete Uskudarli

Long the meeting pot of east and west, Istanbul is a city straddling the continents of Europe and Asia and acts as such. Towering minarets raised during the Ottoman era sit amongst Roman, Greek, Persian and Venetian Ozgur Balci

Betül Corbaci

Devrim Gokmen

structures, all of which have been preserved alongside the modern Turkish second city’s contemporary high rises and skyscrapers. For the traveller, this delightful mix of ancient and modern makes for an amazing trip, but with so much to do and see in Istanbul, which destinations truly stand out? Here are some of the best things Istanbul has to offer to travellers.

Istanbul has a huge number of ancient, near-mythic structures, all representing the city’s various epochs of civilisation. The Basilica Cistern, constructed in the Sixth century during the height of the Byzantine Empire (successor to the ancient Roman empire) runs beneath the city, and is a surprisingly romantic place for what was originally a system of tunnels that moved water from modern-day Bulgaria to the city. Now fitted with lights and music, juxtaposed with flitting fish that play around the 336 columns that support the structure’s ceiling, the Cistern must be seen to be believed.

The Hagia Sofia is another relic of the city’s past, and one of the world’s most recognisable structures. Construction began in 537, the basilica serving the Greek Orthodox Church, and later it was used as an imperial mosque during the Ottoman era, but today the structure is a museum to its varied past. The building is a magnificent sight, surrounded by dreamy spires and topped by the original Byzantine dome.

If you’re looking for excitement, Istanbul has all manner of electrifying amenities that one can peruse. The Cratos Premium Casino, featuring hundreds of tables and slots, is a beauty, oozing elegance and charm. Want to make a little spending money during your trip? Make sure you head to Ruby Fortune on your flight over; the site has all manner of casino games that you can play to boost your skills ahead of the main event!

Istanbul has it’s fair share of souky shopping opportunities, and the Sultanahmet District is by far the best place to indulge in a little shopping.

Winding streets, stores and a grand bazaar await visitors, and the area holds a huge number of delicious Turkish food establishments where one can sample all manner of tasty delights! For more expensive tastes, the Milka restaurant, located in the centre of the city, is internationally renowned; try their shoulder of lamb cooked for 24 hours with pomegranate molassestruly delicious!

16May 2015

Nasuh Cetin

Meral Ozcelik

Bugra Berberoglu

Tijen Gunyol

Cem Aksoy

Reha Arar

l Leyla Taşkın has been appointed General Manager to Kemer Golf Resort Istanbul. l Eylem Atalay has been appointed as the new Director of Sales & Marketing of the JW Marriott Bodrum Hotel opening Summer 2015. l Erdem Bilgin has been appointed General Manager to Radisson Blu Conference & Airport Hotel, İstanbul. l Füsun Özsoy has been appointed Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah as Assistant Director of Sales. l Hilton Istanbul Kozyatağı announced the appointment of Kemal Sinmez as General Manager. l First Turkish GM at a Marriott International property; Arcan Bayraktaroglu. l Neslihan Metin has been appointed as the new Director of Sales & Marketing of Bursa Çelikpalas Hotel . l Mete Üskürdarlı has been appointed Avantgarde Collection Yalıkavak as Hotel Manager. l Özgür Balcı is new Director of Sales & Marketing at Silence Istanbul Hotel Convention Center. l Cem Kul is new sales director of Rixos Groub hotels. l Deniz Erçekin has been appointed as the ass.GM of DoubleTree by Hilton Avcılar, Istanbul. l Betül Çiçek Çorbacı has been appointed as Sales & Marketing manager at The Plaza Hotel Istanbul. l Devrim Gökmen is the new GM of Ramada Hotel & Suites Şişli, Istanbul. l Suvat Avcı is the new Hotel Manager of Kirman Hotels Belazur Resort &Spa. l Emre Paslı is the new hotel manager of Caresse Bodrum Resort. l İzair has a new GM named Nasuh Çetin. l The Blue Bosphorus By Corendon has a new GM named Alper Karakaş . l Meral Özçelik, has been appointed as Antalya area manager of Vera Hotels&Resorts. l Bugra Berberoglu, SVP Operations Middle East & Africa at Kempinski Hotels has been appointed as the CEO of Rixos Hotels. l Gülnur Atmaca has been appointed ass. general manager of Hilton Bodrum Türkbükü Resort & Spa. l Tijen Günyol has been appointed General Manager to Ramada Encore Istanbul Airport. l Begüm Ergün has been appointed as MICE dept.manager of Tekser Tourism & Travel. l Cem Aksoy has been appointed to sales and marketing manager of Cevahir Hotel İstanbul Asia. l St. Regis İstanbul has a new general manager named Rui Reis. l Cem Lale, has been appointed General Manager to Topkapı İstanbul Mercure hotel. l Selçuk Değerli is the new General manager of The Marmara Pera - The Marmara Şişli otellerinin genel müdürü oldu.hotels. l Semih Gönç is the new GM of Çeşme Troy Hotel.

Eylem Atalay

Fusun Ozsoy

Kemal Sinmez

Neslihan Metin

Cem Kul

Deniz Ercekin

Suvat Avci

Emre Pasli

Alper Karakas

Gulnur Atmaca

Begum Ergun

Cem Lale

Ruhi Su

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U.A.E. Abu Dhabi International Airport Traffic Abu Dhabi Airports announced that passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport increased by 21.5% in February 2015.

A total of 1,715,540 passengers passed through Abu Dhabi International Airport during the month, compared with 1,411,881 in February 2014. There were 12,852 aircraft movements in February 2015, which was a 15% increase over February 2014’s figure of 11,174.

In February 2015, the top five routes from Abu Dhabi International Airport were Bangkok, London Heathrow, Manila, Doha and Jeddah. The top five routes accounted for 16% of all traffic last month.

Jumeirah’s New Property in Abu Dhabi Dubai based Jumeirah Group announced an agreement with His Highness Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed Al Nahyan to operate a luxury Jumeirah resort on Sa’adiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.

Set in a prime location on the north eastern coast of Sa’adiyat Island, the property will be the most luxurious five-star resort in Abu Dhabi. Expected to open in 2017, the hotel will comprise 294 guest rooms, including spa suites, presidential suites and private high-end villas. Food and beverage outlets will include an all-day dining venue, two signature restaurants, a lobby lounge and bar, a pool and beach bars, retail shops and outdoor beach and pool areas. The architecture, interior design, landscape and master planning will be completed by DBI Design Corporation, who also designed Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.

Once complete, the Sa’adiyat Island master-plan development will be made up of seven districts which will house and service a population of 150,000 people. The districts will include The Louvre and The Guggenheim museums, a Performing Arts Centre, nine kilometres of beaches, six luxury hotels and resorts, a championship golf course with luxury apartments, the Monte Carlo Beach Club, a promenade, a marina and the Sa’adiyat Retreat where the Jumeirah Sa’adiyat Island Resort will be located.

Jumeirah currently operates 22 hotels, resorts and residences, including 11 in the Middle East, six in Europe and five in Asia. A further 26 hotels are in the pipeline.

Air Arabia Awards from Oman’s airports operator Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier, announced today that it has been recognised in two categories of the prestigious Annual Oman Airport Management Company (OAMC) Awards.

The awards, which took place at the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa in Muscat, honour the most successful airlines and retailers operating at Muscat and Salalah’s international airports.

Air Arabia was honoured for the enormous success of its Salalah operations.

The first award recognised the total number of passengers carried by Air Arabia to the popular Omani tourism destination in 2014, while the second marked the significant percentage growth in these figures over the past year.

Air Arabia was the first UAE airline to offer services to the city of Salalah when it began a weekly service in June 2012. Following strong passenger demand, within a year, it had increased operations to three flights per week.

countries. The meeting also concluded a number of agreements that grant rights for UAE national air carriers to operate to a number of Iranian cities, as well as establishing a system for cooperation in the fields of aviation safety, search and rescue activities and air accidents.

Yemen Yemen Promotes Tourism in Socotra Island Despite the conflicts in Yemen, the government plans to revive its tourism. In this context, the government is seeking to lure both local and international tourists to its Socotra Island — a safe haven compared to other Yemen destinations. It lies some 240 kilometers east of the Horn of Africa and 380 kilometers south of the Arabian Peninsula. The island is very isolated and a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on the planet. The island measures 132 kilometers in length and 49.7 kilometers in width.

Yemeni Minister of Tourism Moamar Al-Aryani assured that no terrorist groups will control the island. Only one location in Yemen has been specified as a safe destination for international tourism which is Socotra island.

The island is among the top 10 world islands with unique and diverse flora and fauna. The government of Yemen is seeking the help of the Arab Tourism Organization to convince not only tourists but also investors to trust Yemen. Tourism in Yemen constitutes 3% of the GDP and the government seeks to increase it to reach 10% and 20% in a later stage. The current situation in Yemen as if it is a “piece of cloth that is torn apart” and hoped the new constitution will provide a “new cloth” that Yemen can put on and move on in its strategic plans.

The current security issues in the country have increased unemployment and decreased the hotel booking. This drove Yemen to focus more on local tourism and convince Yemenis living abroad to visit their home country along with the families.

UAE and Iran Inks Air Transport Agreement The UAE represented by the General Civil Aviation Authority recently inked an agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran to strengthen air transport and aviation safety. This agreement was signed following talks between the two countries’ federal aviation authorities.

CLjAl Suwaidi said: “The historical, economic and religious ties between UAE and Iran play a vital role in our bilateral relations in all fields, including aviation. The strategy of the GCAA supports open skies agreements that benefit all parties in the air transport industry. It is in our interest to develop air transport relations with Iran, leading to full open skies relation between the countries in the near future.”

Dr Jahangirian expressed that talks with the UAE would represent a new starting point to strengthen and expand cooperation between the two

Latest tourism news from MENA

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www.turizmciningazetesi.com

May 201517

Exhibition

With over 2,700 exhibitors from 83 countries, Arabian Travel Market was held May 5-8 in Dubai, UAE. 21st year, the 2014 edition was a

18ď źMay 2015

ATM-Dubai

complete sell out, with 25,000 square metres - including one extra hall – makes ATM the largest travel trade exhibitor event ever to be held in the Middle East. The show has grown by 8% since 2013 and welcomed over 2,700 exhibitors, with 420 main stand holders and exhibitors

from 83 countries as well as 68 national pavilions. Over 21,000 local, regional and international industry professionals attended the show from 157 countries.

Turkey also participated ATM-Dubai with largest Ministry of Tourism and private stands.

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May 2015ď ź19

Cover Story

6-28

HAZİRAN/JUNE

2015

ISTSHOPFEST.COM

Visit and Shop

S

hopaholics will be thrilled to hear that Istanbul’s first-ever shopping fest will be held for 22 days between 06 June and 28 June 2015 when shops and shopping malls will be kept open for 24 hours! All together an astonishing more than 100 shopping centres and popular shops in Taksim, Nisantasi, Sisli, Bakirkoy, Fatih, Bahariye and Bagdat Street have been earmarked for participating in the fest which will launch Istanbul as a major shopping destination.

Istanbul Shopping Fest will be organized between 06 June and 28 June 2015.

Shops and shopping malls will be open till morning in several districts of Istanbul. People will be able to shop 24 hours a day in Istanbul during nearly one month.

Beside the many shopping centers, several popular shops at Taksim, Nişantaşı, Şişli, Bakırköy, Fatih, Bahariye, and Bağdat street will stage several street activities.

Hundreds gathered to watch a different music shows and entertainment display on Taksim, Nişantaşı, Şişli, Bakırköy, Fatih, Bahariye and Bağdat streets of Istanbul.

And Istanbul continues the theme of ‘‘ the city that never sleeps’’ This massive organization, which will take place between 06 June and 28 June 2015 will be revealing all the lively colors of İstanbul through joyous occasions, history, delight and entertainment. İstanbul Shopping Fest will be hosting thousands of visitors from all around the world. Aside from the opening and closing events, there are

many activities planned at shopping malls and stores, which will stay open till late hours. The festival’s glamorous spirit will take over shopping malls as well as the high streets of İstanbul; Abdi İpekçi, İstiklal and Bağdat Streets. The entertainment will continue for 22 days with street festivals, concerts, shows, games for kids, parties, contests and fashion shows. The opportunities are not limited to these as those in İstanbul during the festival have the chance to shop from the newest collections at discounted prices. On top of that, during long shopping nights, it will be possible to shop till 02.00am and enjoy İstanbul at its most fabulous self.

With surprise sweepstakes and contents via text messages to win gifts, the organization will make shopping more exciting than ever for both local and foreign shoppers. For tourists the excitement is doubled as they will have the privilege of tax-free shopping up to 30%, hence making İstanbul more and more appealing.

20May 2015

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What to visit at Asian side of Istanbul There are two main district in Asian side of Istanbul. Kadıköy and Üsküdar. There are lots of scheduled ferries from European side to both districts in 24 hours. You can also use Bosphorus bridges by car and taxis. Üsküdar Üsküdar is the old Anatolian side of Istanbul, the former suburb of Scutari. While most of the Anatolian side is largely newer and a side from a few buildings here and there, dates from the late-19th century and up, with the largest part by far being later 20th century, Üsküdar has a lot of old buildings and is similar to the old city.

and the area around it is called Asian Bosphorus. The castle was constructed by Sultan Beyazit in the year 1395 as a watch tower and this was a part of his preparations to annex the Constantinople area.

The castle underwent many changes in architecture and thus looks different from its original design. The Turkish government took over the restoration processes and today it stands as a museum, however it is not available for public viewing.

Mihrimah Sultan Mosque

Beylerbeyi Palace It was used as the summer palace of the Ottoman sultans. It was ordered by the Sultan Abdulaziz and built between 1861-1865 by head architects Sarkis Balyan and Agop Balyan, imperial architects of Armenian origins, in French neo-baroque style with a traditional Ottoman house plan. Important foreign guests visiting the Ottoman Empire were accommodated in this palace during the summer months. It can be considered as a smaller version of Dolmabahce Palace, but due to its limited seasonal use, it had no great importance.

The palace has a rectangular plan with the long side facing the Bosphorus. There are 6 large halls and 24 rooms on two floors raised on a service basement which was originally used as a kitchen and storage.

The palace is divided into mens’ section (Selamlik) and womans’ section (Harem) having separate entrances for both. The Selamlik was used for State functions therefore was very ornate, meanwhile the Harem was reserved only to the ladies and with a simple decoration.

The palace gardens are available for private receptions upon advance application to the Ministry of Tourism.

Küçüksu Mansion It takes place in Kücüksu in İstanbul. It is on seaside and 10km far from Üsküdar. It is between Kücüksu and Göksu watercourses in the Bosphorus.

It was built in 1856 by Nigoğos Balyan with direction of Sultan Abdülmecit. It is a mansion in which the Sultans rest. They do not live in that mansion continuously, they only rest in there. That magnificent building was a boarding mansion used for rest and hunting.

You can’t take photograph inside the mansion , but you can find and buy some photographs of both inside and outside of the Küçüksu Mansion.

Anadoluhisarı Castle AnadoluHisarı is an fortress located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus

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Among the first things you see upon arriving by ferry at Üsküdar are the two mosques on either side of the ferry port, both designed by famous architect Sinan. The larger one is the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, sometimes called the Iskele (Dock) Mosque, built by a daughter of Süleyman the Magnificent; the smaller one is the Şemsi Pasha Mosque, which was built in 1581 by a vizier of Süleyman’s.

The Mihrimah Sultan Mosque built between 1546 and 1548 and is a massive structure on a raised platform and already shows several hallmarks of Sinan’s mature style: a spacious, high-vaulted basement, slender minarets, a single-domed baldacchino flanked by three semidomes ending in three exedra and a broad double portico.

Yeni Valide Mosque This large mosque is just inland on the left as you arrive by ferry in Uskudar. It was built between the 1708 and 1710 by Emetullah Rabia Gülnüş Sultan, mother of Sultan Ahmed III. The main part of the building is square in shape and covered with a flattened main dome and four half

May 201521

Cover Story domes. The mosque has two minarets with two balconies each.

Çamlıca Hill Çamlıca Hill stands about four kilometers east of Uskudar and can be reached by car. It is the highest point in the vicinity of Istanbul, 267 meters above sea level. It has a small teahouse in the midst of the pine grove which gives the peak its name. From here, there is an absolutely magnificent view, which makes it well worth the climb. In the morning when the sun is still easterly one has a panoramic sight of the whole city, the Bosphorus almost as far as the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea with the Princes Islands, and behind that, the great snow covered ridge of Uludag, the Bithynian Olympus. Toward evening the sun sets almost directly behind Istanbul and its domes and minarets are silhouetted against the flaming western sky like a splendid stage drop.

Kadıköy

Kadıköy is one of the fastest growing districts in Istanbul for the last 25 years, it has areas of up-market shopping with fashionable shops, fine dining and entertainment making it popular especially for wealthy local people. Nice promenades along the waterside, especially around the marinas and yacht clubs, add value to the district.

Bağdad Avenue is one of the most trendy shopping and dining place here, many cafeterias are full of locals and young people enjoying their life.

Moda neighborhood is also famous for its restaurants and cafeterias.

Kalamış and Fenerbahçe neighborhoods have a nice marina and several yacht clubs, and there is a huge stadium of Fenerbahce soccer team here as well.

Akasya Acibaden New Generation Life Complex owns 80 thousand meter square leasable area. The complex introduces the world famous brands with Turkish retail sector for the first time while bringing the leading brands of Turkey together. Akasya Acibadem has large, open and sunlight corridors inspired from Bagdat Street, 10 decare Akasya Park, the biggest hall of Istanbul equipped with the latest technology LG IMAX Hall and 15 cinema halls. Moreover, Akasya Acibadem meets up its guests with first store in Istanbul which incorporates all the products of famous café & charcuterie brand Fauchon of France, the most famous home decoration brand of U.S. Create & Barrel and world-wide known Victoria’s Secret Pink Collection. By the way, achieving to become the biggest kid ‘education and entertainment’ brand of the world besides being the creator of ‘Edutainment’ concept offering learning opportunity for the children while entertaining, KidZania welcomes 4-14 aged kids on 10 thousand meter square are inside Akasya Acibadem.

Address: Ankara Asfaltı 4. Km. Çeçen Sok., Acıbadem, Üsküdar.

Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

Capitol

Haydarpaşa Train Station Haydarpaşa train station, built in 1906 in the Prussian architectural style, is connecting Istanbul to the east of Turkey by railways. It was the last stop of the Istanbul-Baghdad railway. Next to the station, there is the commercial harbor of the city with many cranes and silos.

Selimiye Army Barracks Selimiye army barracks in Harem neighborhood and the Marmara high school are the most impressive buildings from late Ottoman period, besides Haydarpaşa station. During the Crimean War in the 19th century, Florence Nightingale served at Selimiye as a nurse and today her room is preserved as a museum.

Where to Shop at Asian side of Istanbul

Akasya Acıbadem Developed within the targets of determining trends and claims of offering a brand new life style in Istanbul Anatolian side, Akasya Acibadem Project is also realized as prestigious projects confirming the different position of SAF REIT in the sector. Akasya brings the karma of home-officeshopping together with Akasya residents via simple and environmental architectural approach. Life and shopping center is designed by the world famous U.S. architectures group Development Design Group which achieves awarded projects such as Akmerkez and Akbati AVM. Gathering the most famous and appreciated brands of Turkey and the world with the guests, ‘Akasya Acibadem New Generation Life Complex’ is opened as the most assertive project of both Anatolian side and Istanbul with joyful shopping experience, rich social life options, 10 decare park, 3100 car capacity parking area and accessibility to metro, metrobus and Marmaray.

22May 2015

Capitol Shopping Center opened 1993 in Altunizade quarter of Üsküdar, is the first modern big shopping mall on the Asian part of İstanbul.

Built on 6 floors and covering an area of 73,000 m², the shopping complex features 157 retail stores, a department store and a supermarket, 8 movie theaters, fast food restaurants, cafeterias, bowling alley and entertainment center. It houses also Capitol Radio, a private radio station broadcasting from the complex. It has an open air and covered parking lot.

Several cafes in the spacious area around a huge central spring fountain enable customers to socialize and relax during shopping.

The mall is visited by 1 million people monthly. Visitors are mainly from the east bank districts of the city.

Address: Mahir İz Caddesi, Altunizade. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

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Palladium

Tepe Nautilus is the first thematic shopping mall of Turkey. The mall has been opened in 2002, and hosts a various selection of stores for every taste and budget as well as restaurants, fast-food chains and cafés offering flavors from the Turkish or the international cuisine. 112 stores and 25 stands, the smart, hi-tech and toll-free parking lot along with the gym and the movie theater altogether provide the visitors with a huge range of options. Tepe Nautilus is located on the Asian Side; 45 and 35km. to the Atatürk Airport and the Sabiha Gökçen Airport respectively.

Address: Fatih Cad., No: 1, Acıbadem Kadikoy. Opening Hours 10:00 22:00.

Palladium has been in service since 2008. It is a popular destination of the Asian Side thanks to 188 stores, a 2500-capacity parking lot, a rich collection of brands and its location. The stores generally focus on garments. Among the extra services of Palladium are the parking lot, the drugstore, dry cleaning and shoe-shining.

Address: Barbaros Mah., Halk Cad., No: 8-B, Ataşehir. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

Tepe Nautilus

Via/Port Outlet Via/Port Outlet is located 3km to the Sabiha Gökçen Airport. It is the particular choice of those who prefer remote accommodation as it includes the Via Hotel and the Via/Port Convention & Expo. This huge complex serves both as an outlet and a recreational center while contributing to the fair and tourism sectors thus introducing the European and the American outlet concept to Istanbul. The Outlet offers products for every age group, budget and style with a brand collection at 184 stores. Cappadocia stones has been exclusively brought for the construction of Via/Port -a major architectural piece- while the Via Bedesten dome, inspired from the Nuruosmaniye Gate of the Grand Bazaar, is among the largest in Turkey.

Address: Yenişehir Mah., Dedepaşa Cad., No: 19, Pendik. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

What to visit at European side of Istanbul Blue Mosque Known as the ‘Sultan Ahmet Mosque’ by local people, it was built by Sultan Ahmet in 1609 and completed in 7 years, although foreigners have taken to calling it the ‘ Blue Mosque ‘ because of the beautiful blue Iznik tiles decorating the interior. The architect who oversaw its design was Sedefkar Mehmet Aga, better known as a student of Sinan (the greatest architect ever seen in the Ottoman Empire). Not only was it built to serve as a mosque, but its huge surrounding complex also held a

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Cover Story who had been taken from their families at the ages of 9-16, during the Ottoman conquests in Europe. In this courtyard there are three important buildings: Aya Eirine (the Church of Divine Peace), the mint / outer treasury of the Ottoman Empire and the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.

The second courtyard served as the official section of the palace, holding the imperial kitchens, bakery, storage rooms and the divan (chamber of the Viziers).

The third courtyard opens with the Arz Odasi (audience hall for visitors to the Sultan). There are also rooms of the Enderun (palace school), and various sections displaying the ceremonial dresses of the Ottoman Sultans, holy relics, the portraits of the sultans, a library and the Treasury.

The fourth court is more of a garden than a courtyard, built on varying levels decorated by kiosks or pavilions. The Baghdad and Revan Pavilions, Mecidiye Kosk and a mosque can all be found here.

Yerebatan Cistern medrese (theological school), turbe (tomb), hospital, caravaserai, primary school, public kitchen and market, although the hospital and caravanserai were destroyed in the nineteenth century. After the public kitchens were destroyed in a fire in 1970, they were restored and incorporated into the School of Industrial Art. It presently serves as the Dean’s Office for the Marmara University.

Saint Sophia

This massive 6th century building is the third church to be built at the same location. The first church was built in 360 AD but burnt down in 404, during the reign of Constantinus. The second was erected between the years 404-415, but shared the same fatal destiny as the first one, burning down during the Nika revolt in 532, during the reign of Justinian.

After these riots, a new structure (the current one standing) was ordered from two famous architects - Isidorus and Anthemeios. It was completed and opened to the public on December 26th in 537, on the St. Stephen’s day. However, the dome collapsed twenty years later and it had to be rebuilt by the nephew of the first architect. He opened up the dome by giving it 40 windows along its parameter. Although there were partial collapses of the dome in 989 and 1346, the shape of the dome today remains as it was then.

It served as a church until the city was conquered by the Ottoman Turks under the leadership of Mehmet II. Once he took power, he gave the order to convert the church into a mosque. After this conversion, Islamic additions were made inside and outside. The minarets, a mihrab, mimber, muezzin’s lodge, sultan’s lodge and library are all from this period.

In 1935, twelve years after Turkish Republic had been established, by the order of Kemal Ataturk it became a museum and remains so today. Aya Sofya, the Church of Divine Wisdom, stands as one of the landmarks of the city.

Topkapı Palace When the city was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, Mehmet II, the Conqueror, did not take to the Byzantine Palaces, so he built his own palace where the main buildings of Istanbul University currently stand.

This palace is now known as the old palace (eski saray) as it was soon in disuse. Sultan Mehmet began to build Topkapi Palace in 1459 including the Harem and the fourth courtyard. The rest of the palace was built 6 years later. He adjusted the Byzantine city walls around the walls of the palace. In fact, the palace takes its name from the main sea gate in these defensive walls (‘Topkapi’ = Canon Gate). The palace is mainly divided into four courtyards: The first courtyard is known as the courtyard of the Janissaries, who acted as one of the branches of the Ottoman army. They were formed from boys

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Yerebatan Cistern was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. It is situated close to the Haghia Sophia entrance, across the street and the tramway lines. It is a huge cistern, it has 143 x 65 meters and 336 columns. There are three spots that are particularly popular, two Medusa heads supporting columns (one of them is a spot where people will throw coins in, hoping to return someday), another is a column with a peacock feather motive (compare the columns lying along the road near the Laleli tramway stop) where someone had the bright idea of suggesting that putting your finger in a little hole and turning your hand will make a wish come true. The cistern was used as a location for the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love.

Süleymaniye Mosque Built by the greatest architect of the Ottoman Empire - Sinan, between 1550 -1557, Suleymaniye Mosque stands as undoubtedly his greatest work in Istanbul. Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, who enjoyed the longest reign in the Ottoman Empire, between 1520-1566, gave the order for its construction. The mosque also holds the tombs of the Sultan and his lover Hurrem (Roxelana).

Galata Tower Galata Tower has dominated Beyoğlu’s skyline since 1348 and still offers the best panoramic views of the city. Above, the Golden Horn, Seraglio Point and Old Istanbul as seen from Galata Tower Originally named the Tower of Christ, it was the highpoint in the city walls of the Genoese colony called Galata. Most of the walls are long gone, but the great tower remains.

Until the 1960s it was a fire lookout tower. Now the upper floors hold an uninteresting restaurant-nightclub, and a panorama balcony.

The panorama balcony, encircling the highest row of windows, is narrow, open to the weather, and not recommended for anyone suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights).

Rumelihisarı Castle

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Built in 1452 by Sultan Mehmet II prior to the conquest of Istanbul, his aim was to block any possible sea support which might have come from the Black Sea to assist the flailing Byzantines. Therefore, it was to be situated on the narrowest point of the Bosphorus strait, facing another smaller fortress already erected on the Asian side. The construction work finished after 4 months and 19 days. Now it serves as a museum, displaying the canons that were used during the conquest. There is also an outdoor mini-amphi-theater used during the various music festivals in Istanbul.

Where to Shop at European side of Istanbul The Grand Bazaar

The Spice Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar (Covered Bazaar) in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and half a million visitors daily The grand bazaar began construction in 1455 and opened in 1461. It is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops. Many of the stalls in the bazaar are grouped by the type of goods, with special areas for leather coats, gold jewelry and the like.

The bazaar contains two bedestens (domed masonry structures built for storage and safe keeping), the first of which was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The bazaar was vastly enlarged in the 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and in 1894 underwent a major restoration following an earthquake. Today, the grand bazaar houses two mosques, two hamams, four fountains, and multiple restaurants and cafes. The sprawling complex consists of 12 major buildings and has 22 doors.

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The Spice Bazaar, (Egyptian Bazaar) in Istanbul, is one of the oldest bazaars in the city. Located in Fatih, in the neighborhood of Eminönü, it is the second largest covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar.

There are several documents suggesting the name of the bazaar was first “New Bazaar”. However, due to the fact that many spices were imported via Egypt in the Ottoman period, the name “Mısır Çarşısı” was favored by the public. The word mısır has a double meaning in Turkish: “Egypt” and “maize”. This is why sometimes the name is wrongly translated as “Corn Bazaar”. The bazaar was (and still is) the center for spice trade in Istanbul.

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Cover Story Astoria

Standing out with its central location, Astoria is located 21 and 39,7km. to the Atatürk Airport and the Sabiha Gökçen Airport respectively. The 7-storey Shopping Mall owns the highest twin-atriums of Europe. Astoria hosts 110 stores primarily focusing on clothing, accessories and footwear.

The quite varied food & beverage options range from fast-food to quality restaurants. Among the other services of Astoria are the parking lot, the drugstore, dry cleaning and shoe-shining. It’s an ideal location for different activities thanks to the gym, the movie theater and the spa. The Cinebonus movie theater is among the particular ones in Istanbul with a high-tech system and the surrounding glass walls which enable city view from the inside. On top of that, Astoria issues the Benefit Club Card -the most inclusive shopping mall card ever- which offers exclusive discounts at prestigious stores, extra card points and surprise gifts.

Address: Astoria Kuleleri; Büyükdere Cad., No: 127, B Blok Kat:-3, Esentepe. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00

Cevahir

Locating in city center in European side of Istanbul, Istanbul Cevahir is easily reachable from many points of the city via mass transport. You can access to Cevahir Shopping Mall by using ‘Sisli Exit’ after getting off the underground at Mecidiyekoy/Sisli stop of the metro serving on ‘Sishane-Taksim-Darussafaka’ line. The direct entrance to the shopping mall is available through the underground. You can access to Cevahir Shopping Mall on foot in a short time after getting of Mecidiyekoy stop by using ‘Avcilar -Zincirlikuyu’ or ‘Sogutlucesme-Zincirlikuyu-Avcilar’ line. The mall is located right ahead left after passing Buyukdere Street by turning Mecidiyekoy square. Parking capacity 2500 baby care rooms, children’s restroom, lockers, disabled lifts and restrooms, sanctuary, first aid room, tax-free and valet, Istanbul Cevahir, the biggest shopping mall of Istanbul in city center, is the all-purpose shopping and living center by encircling wide masses with strategic position, relief and comfortable places, elegant brands, services and events since the first day it was established. Ranking amongst one of the symbols of Istanbul in a short time, Istanbul Cevahir is a location where the domestic and foreign tourists stop by and do shopping. Istanbul Cevahir gives a perfect shopping experience for its visitors with café and restaurants offering the examples from world flavours, social living places and services with total of 200 stores in 6 floors and powerful brand karma. Appealing to all family members, Istanbul Cevahir is one of the most favourite social living places with cultural and artistic events. Istanbul Cevahir hosts art-lovers with 11 cinema halls and 2 Istanbul State Theatre stages. Istanbul Cevahir also hosts the biggest closed entertainment center of Turkey with many entertaining and exciting play units, bowling hall and special places for children.

Address: 19 Mayıs Mh. Şişli. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

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City’s

Located in Nişantaşı, which is synonymous with shopping, City’s is the place to go for quite a lot of Turkish and international brands. On top of the location and the rich brand collection, the Mall has a lot to offer as far as quality restaurants including some of the major food & beverage spots of Istanbul. There are also many restaurants and cafés in the surrounding area, which is just ideal for those who want to have a fine dining experience before or after shopping. Among the other services are the grocery, the tailor’s and the dry cleaner’s.

Address: Teşvikiye Cad., No: 162, Nişantaşı. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00

212 İstanbul Power Outlet

212 Istanbul Power Outlet is formed by total indoor area of 235.000 m2 and 70.000 m2 leasable area. 212 İstanbul Power Outlet has parking lots and garages with 3.500 vehicle capacity besides valet services. You can access to 212 Istanbul Power Outlet through the mass transport vehicles such as free customer vehicles, metrobus, bus and minibus. There are 175 stores at 212 İstanbul Power Outlet. The world famous and precious brands such as Cinemarine, Playland, Flash & Ice Buz pisti, AMF Bowling, Tommy Hilfiger, Network/Fabrika/Divarese, Park’s, Koton, D&R, Derimod, Kiğılı, LC Waikiki, Polo Garage, Kemal Tanca, Cacharel, Beymen Business Altınyıldız, Converse Columbia, Tekin Acar and Yves Rocher besides Carrefour and Mediamarkt take their places at 212 Istanbul Power Outlet.

There are 9 cinema halls 2 of which are 3D at 1500 seat capacity cinema part of the shopping center.

Address: Mahmutbey merkez mah. Tasocagi cad. No:5 Bagcilar. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00. ( 23.00 Friday and Saturday special to Istanbul Shopping Fest.)

İstinye Park We have been working to offer the best service to our customers with our nearly 300 stores since September 2007. Built on an area of 270.000 sqm, we offer our visitors many choices with our stores having a total area of 87.000 sqm, a parking lot for 3600 vehicles, and a wide selection of brands. We give importance to the likes of our visitors, and enjoy offering alternatives for all age groups and tastes. We have both open-air and indoor sections at Istinye Park. The glass ceilings and the huge glass dome covering our indoor sections let the sunshine in. Thus, our visitors experience the comfort of indoors and the spaciousness of open-air at the same time. We believe that all architectural details, technical solutions, service and presentation must be at the highest level of quality. The joy of chatting in the open-air area filled with trees, becoming friends with the

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The favorite destination of those who are bored of the indoor shopping concept, Kanyon holds a particular position with a rich outdoor collection of brands and an extraordinary architecture. Standing out thanks to the food & beverage spots and recreational spaces at the same time, Kanyon has been providing a living space at the center of the city since 2006. The mall hosts a wide range of 150 stores from luxury wear to sportswear appealing to all sorts of tastes along with many restaurants and a recreational space while providing extra service spaces like the parking lot, a drugstore, a hairdresser, the dry cleaner’s and the tailor’s shop as well as a shoe shining parlor. Among the other services are foreign currency exchange, the baby-care room and the concierge. Kanyon also stands out with its gym, spa and the 3D movie theater.

Address: Büyükdere Cad., No: 185, Levent. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00

Mall Of İstanbul

shopkeepers in the neighborhood, watching movies in high-tech theaters, exercising and living together... We offer all these in a single place with diversity. Our 20 small shops at the Marketplace invite gourmets.

With our 12 movie theaters, one of which is equipped with the IMAX 3D technology, our sports and life center with an area of 3500 sqm, and our restaurants that offer the most select tastes of world cuisine, we provide entertainment, sports and shopping under the same roof.

Address: Pınar Mh. İstinye. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

Kanyon

The countdown starts for the opening of “Shopping Center of Istanbul Mall of Istanbul”. Mall of İstanbul starts to host the visitors as of May 16 with 350 stores, gourmet center, specially designed MOIPark, traditional arts Street and performance arts center. Many national and international brands gather at Mall of Istanbul with ‘firsts’ and ‘bests’. Mall of Istanbul,

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Cover Story one of the biggest shopping center of Turkey housing national and international 350 brands which determine the fashion in the world and Turkey, is the candidate of being the new center of fashion. Opening its gates for the visitors as of May 23, 2014, the shopping center will bring in a different dynamism to the fashion sector. Bringing the firsts of retail sector under the same roof, Mall of Istanbul hosts the leading brands of the world and Turkey with total of domestic and foreign 350 stores. Many national and international brands gather at Mall of Istanbul with ‘firsts’ and ‘bests’. The gourmet center Gusto MOI, which reflects the wealth of Anatolian cuisine besides stores, targets to offer new, modern and colorful life culture with specially designed thematic entertainment park, Traditional Arts Street exhibiting the samples of Turkish traditional arts and Performance Arts Center equipped with the latest technology.

Address: Süleyman Demirel Bulvarı, Mahmutbey,Başakşehir. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

Metrocity Shopping Mall

Metrocity is a 170-store mall hosting branches of many Turkish and international brands. The subway stop beneath is just a great advantage for Metrocity, where everyone could find something for any budget.

Among the Mall’s services are the parking lot, the drugstore, dry cleaning and shoe-shining as well as the gym and the spa. And the ice rink is just a well-planned privilege for those looking for a different kind of activity.

Address: Büyükdere Cad., No: 171, 1. Levent. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

Trump Center

An investment of Doğan Holding, one of the leading corporations of Turkey, the Trump Shopping Center is one of the first choices of Istanbulites for its unmatched joy of shopping, as well as its activities.

Housing the best Turkish and foreign brands, the Trump Mall also stands out with its entertainment alternatives, eateries, cinema, theater, exhibition center and its special kids’ floor. The five-storied Trump Mall offers famous Turkish and foreign brands to its visitors. Housing brands such as Mango, Beymen, Network, İpekyol, Twist, Kiğılı, Sarar, Paşabahçe, D&R, Divarese, Stefanel, ebebek, English Home and Mendo’s, the Trump Mall also houses a Saturn Electronics Market and a Migros. One floor of the Trump with an area of 9000 sqm is for kids only. In addition to its colorful decoration, stores for kids and eateries for kids, there is a D&R

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Kids on this floor, which is the first in Turkey. The floor arranges the most entertaining activities everyday, and will soon house the KidzMondo “kids’ city” project. The first and only Disney Theater not only of Turkey but also of Europe is in the Trump Mall. The theater, which hosts the most colorful national and international plays, also host the plays by master actors. The Trump Mall Exhibition Center with an area of 1200 sqm, and the movie theaters, which combine high-tech and comfort, are the most favored social areas of the Trump Mall. Located in Mecidiyeköy, the heart of Istanbul, the Trump Mall has a tunnel that directly connects to the subway and the metrobus.

Address: Dereboyu Caddesi, Mecidiyeköy. Opening Hours 10:00 22:00.

Zorlu Center At the juncture of Europe and Asia, a new lifestyle destination has been created in the heart of Istanbul. Turkey’s first five-function mixed-use project Zorlu Center; featuring a performing arts center, shopping mall, hotel (Raffles Istanbul Zorlu Center), office space and residences; is the new urban square featuring five functions. As part of this vibrant structure at the very heart of contemporary Istanbul, Zorlu Center Shopping Mall brings numerous high-profile brands to Turkey for the first time ever and, combined with its ambitious gourmet and alfresco city square concept, creates exciting synergies with Zorlu Center’s other functions, combining them into what is unquestionably one of the most engaging and attractive shopping malls not only in Istanbul but in all of Europe. With approximately 180 stores, total area of 105.000 square meter, a 10.000 square meter main square, adjoined by a 12.000 square meter open air park, 70.000 square meter leasable area, the Zorlu Center Shopping Mall is a new urban destination. Underground pedestrian tunnels link Zorlu Center to the Metro and Metro-bus, as well as serving

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to connect these two public transport systems and all visitors coming from Ulus, Levent, Levazım, Barbaros and Zincirlikuyu destinations are welcomed to Zorlu Center Shopping Mall. Along with a 9,600 square meter Beymen department store, Zorlu Center Shopping Mall features the world’s most sought after global brands many opening their firstever Turkish locations. The Zorlu Center Shopping Mall also plays hosts to flavors from around the world, featuring restaurants by award-winning and world-famous chefs, as part of an innovative gourmet concept that presents fine dining, slow food and fast-food all under one roof. Zorlu Center Shopping Mall provides an extraordinary movie experience to movie lovers with totally 14 movie theatres operated by Cinemaximum with a capacity of 1600, two of them being VIP theatres.

Address: Karayolları 17. Bölge Müd, Levazım Mh. Beşiktaş. Opening Hours 10:00 - 22:00.

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