TRNC Has Taken Its Place at EMITT 2026!
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will showcase its tourism potential on the international stage at EMITT 2026, alongside its hotels and travel agencies.
We spoke with Orçun Gökçe from the Tourism Promotion and Marketing Department of the TRNC Ministry of Tourism and Environment about the TRNC’s contributions to tourism, its goals for participating in EMITT, and his assessment of the exhibition.
Could you briefly tell us about your destination and its contributions to tourism?
Our Ministry maintains continuous communication and coordination with the associations operating in the tourism sector and develops solutions to the challenges faced by our country’s tourism sector. One of our top priorities within our promotional efforts is to concentrate our promotion and marketing activities on the key target markets.
Türkiye is our country’s highest-priority market in tourism. One of the main reasons Türkiye is our key target tourism market is the special relationship between the two countries and their geographical proximity.
The TRNC is an island located right next to Türkiye, reachable with an average flight time of just one hour. Regular flights between our country and several major cities in Türkiye provide a significant advantage. However, the Turkish market is our key tourism target not only because of its easy accessibility. That is to say, although the TRNC may be perceived by Turkish tourists as a “domestic” destination, it is in fact an “overseas” destination. For Turkish citizens, the TRNC is a country they can visit using their national ID. The availability of “Duty Free” shopping at the airport is particularly appealing to Turkish tourists.
Our country shares the same language, religion, and currency as Türkiye. Our country is rich in sun, sea, sandy beaches, historic landmarks, gaming opportunities, and cultural heritage—key factors that make it an attractive destination for Turkish tourists. For all these reasons, we place great emphasis on reinforcing the perception in Türkiye that the TRNC is a premier “holiday destination.” We make every effort to ensure that all the qualities mentioned above are widely known and positively perceived. The best example of this is the Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”) tourism promotion campaign.
Visit North Cyprus “Ada Kıbrıs” Project
The Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”) project is an innovative communication campaign launched in 2024 to establish the TRNC as a recognized tourism brand in the Turkish market. This project aims to showcase North Cyprus’s strong tourism potential to a broader, targeted audience by adapting to the evolving promotional dynamics of a digitalized world. The main objective of the project is to highlight North Cyprus’s warm, welcoming, and rich cultural heritage, diversifying the motivations for visiting and repositioning the destination among Turkish travelers. Accordingly, a distinctive corporate identity has been created for Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”), including a new logo, website (adakibrisim.com), slogans, and eye-catching visual materials. As of 2024, our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) have been activated, regularly showcasing North Cyprus–specific experiences such as culture, gastronomy, history, nature, events, and beach life. The campaign is designed to appeal to individuals of all ages and interests, with influencer collaborations forming a key component of the Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”) project. Content creators from across Türkiye, representing different demographics, have been hosted in North Cyprus to help reach wider audiences through their experiences. Additionally, the campaign launch garnered extensive media and press coverage, further enhancing the project’s visibility. All these efforts extend beyond digital platforms, being reinforced through exhibitions, media partnerships, and collaborative projects with tourism professionals. The Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”) project represents a significant step in strengthening North Cyprus’s tourism brand in the Turkish market by harnessing the power of digital media.
Today, digital and social media have become an essential part of promotional activities. Reaching audiences is no longer limited to brochures, exhibitions, or traditional media; it is also achieved through fast, measurable, and targeted digital campaigns. In experience-driven sectors like tourism, in particular, the influence of social media platforms is even more powerful and transformative. As the Tourism Promotion and Marketing Department, we closely monitor this transformation and shape our strategies to harness the power of digital channels. Instagram and YouTube, in particular, are highly effective for destination promotion due to their strong visual storytelling. Users’ interest in experience-focused content further highlights the importance of these social media platforms. Similarly, Facebook remains a valuable platform for reaching a broad age range, while the Google Display Network (GDN), search engine advertising, and SEO efforts are essential tools for enhancing visibility. Recently, we have further amplified the impact of social media through influencer collaborations. In particular, by considering users’ interest in real-life experiences, we aim to engage our target audience more directly through authentic and genuine content. In summary, digital media provides not only promotional opportunities but also significant benefits like interaction, feedback, and performance measurement. This, in turn, enables us to approach promotional activities in a more strategic and results-focused manner.
Could you briefly explain your reasons for participating in EMITT?
Our main reason for participating in the EMITT tourism exhibition is that it allows TRNC travel agencies, hotels, and other tourism stakeholders to meet face-to-face with travel agencies, industry partners, and the general public in Türkiye.
What are your thoughts on EMITT and your expectations for the exhibition?
Our expectations for EMITT are to establish new contacts, reconnect with previous partners, and gauge the overall trends in the tourism sector.
In your opinion, why should professionals from the tourism sector attend EMITT?
Professionals from the tourism sector should attend EMITT because face-to-face communication remains crucial. Engaging in more sincere and genuine conversations can make meetings more productive and enhance the likelihood of doing business.
What are your opinions and insights on the tourism sector, especially regarding Türkiye?
The tourism sector, particularly in Türkiye, continues to grow stronger as one of the main drivers of the economy, with a promising outlook. This growth is expected to accelerate in the coming years.
We spoke with Orçun Gökçe from the Tourism Promotion and Marketing Department of the TRNC Ministry of Tourism and Environment about the TRNC’s contributions to tourism, its goals for participating in EMITT, and his assessment of the exhibition.
Could you briefly tell us about your destination and its contributions to tourism?
Our Ministry maintains continuous communication and coordination with the associations operating in the tourism sector and develops solutions to the challenges faced by our country’s tourism sector. One of our top priorities within our promotional efforts is to concentrate our promotion and marketing activities on the key target markets.
Türkiye is our country’s highest-priority market in tourism. One of the main reasons Türkiye is our key target tourism market is the special relationship between the two countries and their geographical proximity.
The TRNC is an island located right next to Türkiye, reachable with an average flight time of just one hour. Regular flights between our country and several major cities in Türkiye provide a significant advantage. However, the Turkish market is our key tourism target not only because of its easy accessibility. That is to say, although the TRNC may be perceived by Turkish tourists as a “domestic” destination, it is in fact an “overseas” destination. For Turkish citizens, the TRNC is a country they can visit using their national ID. The availability of “Duty Free” shopping at the airport is particularly appealing to Turkish tourists.
Our country shares the same language, religion, and currency as Türkiye. Our country is rich in sun, sea, sandy beaches, historic landmarks, gaming opportunities, and cultural heritage—key factors that make it an attractive destination for Turkish tourists. For all these reasons, we place great emphasis on reinforcing the perception in Türkiye that the TRNC is a premier “holiday destination.” We make every effort to ensure that all the qualities mentioned above are widely known and positively perceived. The best example of this is the Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”) tourism promotion campaign.
Visit North Cyprus “Ada Kıbrıs” Project
The Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”) project is an innovative communication campaign launched in 2024 to establish the TRNC as a recognized tourism brand in the Turkish market. This project aims to showcase North Cyprus’s strong tourism potential to a broader, targeted audience by adapting to the evolving promotional dynamics of a digitalized world. The main objective of the project is to highlight North Cyprus’s warm, welcoming, and rich cultural heritage, diversifying the motivations for visiting and repositioning the destination among Turkish travelers. Accordingly, a distinctive corporate identity has been created for Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”), including a new logo, website (adakibrisim.com), slogans, and eye-catching visual materials. As of 2024, our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) have been activated, regularly showcasing North Cyprus–specific experiences such as culture, gastronomy, history, nature, events, and beach life. The campaign is designed to appeal to individuals of all ages and interests, with influencer collaborations forming a key component of the Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”) project. Content creators from across Türkiye, representing different demographics, have been hosted in North Cyprus to help reach wider audiences through their experiences. Additionally, the campaign launch garnered extensive media and press coverage, further enhancing the project’s visibility. All these efforts extend beyond digital platforms, being reinforced through exhibitions, media partnerships, and collaborative projects with tourism professionals. The Visit North Cyprus (“Ada Kıbrıs”) project represents a significant step in strengthening North Cyprus’s tourism brand in the Turkish market by harnessing the power of digital media.
Today, digital and social media have become an essential part of promotional activities. Reaching audiences is no longer limited to brochures, exhibitions, or traditional media; it is also achieved through fast, measurable, and targeted digital campaigns. In experience-driven sectors like tourism, in particular, the influence of social media platforms is even more powerful and transformative. As the Tourism Promotion and Marketing Department, we closely monitor this transformation and shape our strategies to harness the power of digital channels. Instagram and YouTube, in particular, are highly effective for destination promotion due to their strong visual storytelling. Users’ interest in experience-focused content further highlights the importance of these social media platforms. Similarly, Facebook remains a valuable platform for reaching a broad age range, while the Google Display Network (GDN), search engine advertising, and SEO efforts are essential tools for enhancing visibility. Recently, we have further amplified the impact of social media through influencer collaborations. In particular, by considering users’ interest in real-life experiences, we aim to engage our target audience more directly through authentic and genuine content. In summary, digital media provides not only promotional opportunities but also significant benefits like interaction, feedback, and performance measurement. This, in turn, enables us to approach promotional activities in a more strategic and results-focused manner.
Could you briefly explain your reasons for participating in EMITT?
Our main reason for participating in the EMITT tourism exhibition is that it allows TRNC travel agencies, hotels, and other tourism stakeholders to meet face-to-face with travel agencies, industry partners, and the general public in Türkiye.
What are your thoughts on EMITT and your expectations for the exhibition?
Our expectations for EMITT are to establish new contacts, reconnect with previous partners, and gauge the overall trends in the tourism sector.
In your opinion, why should professionals from the tourism sector attend EMITT?
Professionals from the tourism sector should attend EMITT because face-to-face communication remains crucial. Engaging in more sincere and genuine conversations can make meetings more productive and enhance the likelihood of doing business.
What are your opinions and insights on the tourism sector, especially regarding Türkiye?
The tourism sector, particularly in Türkiye, continues to grow stronger as one of the main drivers of the economy, with a promising outlook. This growth is expected to accelerate in the coming years.