Tourism and Environment Minister Unal Űstel, evaluated the interviews at the Tourism Cooperation Meeting held in Ankara, and his meeting with Turkish Vice President, Fuat Oktay.
The Minister stated Turkey is the TRNC’s largest tourism market and more importance has been given to Turkey this year. Promotional activities have been carried out in major cities of Turkey firstly in Istanbul, and now events are being organised in Ankara.
Many agencies and tour operators from Ankara and its region attended the Tourism Cooperation Meeting with intense participation and it proved to be a very efficient meeting in order to improve the destination of Northern Cyprus. In 2020, with the support of Turkey, it is hoped to see the benefits of these initiatives.
Űstel met with Fuat Oktay in Ankara and he also expressed his pleasure for the participation 
of Oktay in the Tourism Cooperation Reception and said that they had the opportunity to meet again on this occasion.
In the direction of resolving the problems experienced in the tourism sector, Űstel had quite intense discussions with Oktay and the roadmap will draw a new era of tourism in the country, together with Turkey, he added.
Republic of Turkey Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy, emphasised that through tourism, and being someone who knows the issue closely, said it was a good opportunity for Cyprus tourism.
Űstel said that since 2017, the tourism sector has been experiencing difficulties in dealing with the payment of incentives. It was announced that the generated source for the payment of tourism promotion is transferred to TRNC by Turkey.
The fast-growing Turkey tourism market from the TRNC’s promotion policy will be created in the direction of consensus to be reached in order to receive a share. Turkey Tourism Promotion Agency will be included in Northern Cyprus and a more professional service will be reconstructed with the support of Turkey.
Explaining that they have decided to establish an effective promotion and marketing policy in third world countries for the Northern Cyprus destination, Ustel said they are preparing a comprehensive tourism development plan with Turkey.
Referring to the Kyrenia-Alsancak-Lapta road which has negatively affected our people and tourism for years, Ustel stated that the problems experienced in this region, which is a main area of tourism, is not a pleasant situation and that this road should be completed as a dual carriageway. He emphasized that they received support from Fuat Oktay and that the project will be dealt with quickly.
