The Black Sea city of Trabzon is bracing for a wave of fans arriving to see their club win the first Süper Lig title since 1984.
With Trabzonspor needing just a single point as it goes into the home match against Antalyaspor on Saturday, fans from across the country and even from abroad are flocking to the city to witness the historic title win and participate in the celebrations.
The weekend match also coincides with the upcoming Ramadan Bayram (Eid al-Fitr) holidays. The two occasions have created a festive atmosphere in the city and thousands of fans are expected to arrive for the match that might end Trabzonspor’s 37-year wait for the title.
So much so, tickets to the match were sold out within five minutes on Monday and the majority of the hotels are already fully booked.
"There is a very serious demand for accommodation at the moment from both domestic and international fans. There are no plane tickets, no bus tickets, and no match tickets either,” Trabzon Hoteliers Association head Mustafa Dündar said.
“Occupancy rates at our hotels, particularly in the city center and near the stadium, have already reached a 100%. Occupancy rates at hotels in the east of the city will increase too," he added.
The regional head of the Turkish Travel Agencies Union, Volkan Kantarcı said Trabzonspor’s dream season has positively affected the region's sports tourism industry.
It regularly recorded high attendances during the league and broke the attendance record for Turkish cup matches, he pointed out.
"This kind of sports tourism is making major economic contributions to the city and the greater region. Those who come to watch the competition from outside the city spend money on accommodation, food and transport, boosting the regional economy,” he added.
With the possibility of UEFA Champions League action in Trabzon next season, the economic contribution of sports tourism is expected to grow even further, Kantarcı said.
