Erkut Celebi, chairman of the Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says Mohamed Salah’s move to Trabzonspor has already generated a significant increase in tourist interest in the Turkish city.
The effect is being felt not only in Egypt, but also across North Africa, according to Celebi, who believes the attention surrounding the Egypt international could help Trabzon strengthen tourism throughout the year.
The city traditionally experiences its busiest period for only three or four months, with hotel occupancy rates falling outside that window. Local authorities and tourism representatives are therefore seeking to use new attractions to extend the season and maintain demand for longer.
Celebi said Salah’s transfer had created a major new source of interest in Trabzon. The comments were reported by 61saat, a website focused on news from the Turkish city.
The chairman’s remarks highlight the wider impact being associated with Salah’s arrival at Trabzonspor. Interest from Egyptian visitors has been joined by demand from other North African countries, giving the city an opportunity to build on the attention generated by one of football’s most recognisable players.
Trabzonspor announced last Thursday that it had signed Salah on a free transfer. The agreement is for two seasons and followed the conclusion of his contract with Liverpool at the end of last season.
The move has consequently become part of the city’s efforts to find ways of attracting visitors beyond its usual peak period. Hotels in Trabzon normally benefit from strong occupancy during three or four months of the year, before seeing those levels decline. The increased tourism interest linked to Salah is now being viewed as a possible way to support activity outside the traditional season.
Trabzonspor’s Turkish league matches are also being promoted to supporters, with tickets available to buy now.
For Trabzon, the significance of the transfer therefore extends beyond the club’s squad. Celebi’s comments indicate that the signing has quickly become a tourism story as well as a football story, with interest arriving from Egypt and other parts of North Africa.
The city is aiming to turn that immediate attention into a longer-lasting benefit. Its stated objective is to use the new sources of attraction available to it to stimulate tourism across the entire year, rather than relying mainly on the limited period when hotels are usually busiest.
