The event brought together more than 500 tourism representatives from various parts of Germany. The congress, which lasted for three days, featured activities aimed at enhancing tourism relations between Türkiye and Germany. It also provided an important promotional opportunity for the tourism, history, and culture of the Aegean region.
During the gala night held at the ancient city of Ephesus, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy met with agents from all over Germany. He discussed Türkiye's tourism goals and projects, highlighting that the total number of tourists visiting Türkiye had increased by 14% this year. Minister Ersoy also shared information about the work of the Türkiye Tourism Agency (TGA) and drew attention to goturkiye.com. He mentioned that the Michelin Guide, which is significant for gastronomic tourism, was planning to include İzmir and Bodrum in its guide.
The opening meeting of the congress at the Sunis Efes Royal Palace Resort in Özdere was attended by important representatives from Türkiye and Germany, who delivered speeches. İzmir's Director of Culture and Tourism, Murat Karaçanta, spoke about the tourism opportunities in İzmir, emphasizing its rich history, cultural diversity, natural beauty, and its significance in tourism, arts, and literature. Oğuz Özkardeşler, the Tourism President of İzmir Chamber of Commerce (İZTO), stressed the importance of such events in increasing the number of German tourists and thanked those involved in organizing the Schmetterling meeting. Esra Güler, the TGA MICE Director, presented information about tourism opportunities in Türkiye.
Alman Seyahat Acenteleri Birliği (DRV) President Norbert Fiebig evaluated the current state of tourism in his opening speech and provided advice to his colleagues. Uwe Mohr, Vice President of AIDA Cruises, and Prof. Dr. Alexander Dingeldey from DHBW Ravensburg University delivered presentations.
Ömer Karaca, CEO of Schmetterling International, expressed his satisfaction with hosting such a large travel agency congress in İzmir for the first time. He spoke about the revolutionary potential of digitalization and artificial intelligence for travel agencies. According to Karaca, artificial intelligence can help travel agencies with routine and time-consuming tasks. He mentioned that they closely follow developments in information technology and have implemented new software solutions to provide "butterfly-light" solutions, as the name suggests.
Anya Müller-Eckert, Chairwoman of the Board of Schmetterling International, discussed the process of their separation from QTA. She shared the slogan "Independence Unites" and emphasized their newfound "real independence."
The annual congress of Schmetterling International also featured a tourism fair with more than 60 stands and various workshops. Excursions were organized for German agents, including visits to the ancient city of Ephesus, Kuşadası, Şirince, and boat tours.
