Arda Ermut, Head of the Presidential Investment Office, said, “Last year, while direct investments in the world decreased by 13 percent to 1.3 trillion dollars, direct investments to Turkey increased by 13.1 percent and reached approximately 13 billion dollars.” said.
“Tourism Investors Forum (TIF 2020)” organized by the Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD) with the support of the Presidential Investment Office, started in Istanbul.
In his speech at the meeting, Ermut stated that Turkey has attracted 217 billion dollars of direct international investment in the last 17 years, thanks to the reforms implemented to improve the investment environment, and that this strong performance is a strong expression of global investors’ confidence in the Turkish economy.
“Direct international investments decreased in the world and increased in Turkey”
Emphasizing that this development is very important, especially considering that the total direct international investment attracted by Turkey before 2003 was 15 billion dollars, Ermut said, “However, considering Turkey’s potential, we are aware that we have distances to cover and that we need to work hard.” he said.
Ermut stated that direct international investments in the world decreased by approximately 13 percent in 2018 and said:
“Direct investments exceeded approximately 2 trillion dollars in 2007, when global direct investments in the world peaked. Then, with the global crisis in 2008, this decreased to approximately 1.2 trillion dollars, and it entered an upward trend again until 2016. However, in recent years, the increasing global Due to uncertainty, increasing protectionism, trade wars between China and the USA, and Brexit uncertainties, international direct investments in the world fell to approximately 1.3 trillion dollars last year. This is a figure close to the figures after the global crisis of 2008. However, last year, direct investments in the world decreased by 13 percent. “While it decreased to 1.3 trillion dollars, direct investments coming to Turkey increased by 13.1 percent, reaching approximately 13 billion dollars. It differentiated our country from the negative global trend in a positive way.”
“We need to exceed the level of 30 billion dollars in the long term”
Stating that Turkey’s success is positive in terms of attracting the positive attention of investors, Ermut stated that they do not find the annual average of 13-14 billion dollars, which is the average of the last 16-17 years, sufficient.
Mentioning that Turkey cannot get a sufficient share of the world’s direct international investment cake, Ermut continued as follows:
“Because when we look at the share we have received from the world’s direct investments in the last 17 years, we see that we have received an average share of 0.9 percent to 1 percent. When we take into account our geographical location, young population and economic dynamics, which are our basic characteristics, this share can easily increase to 1.5 percent in the short term and 1.5 percent in the long term. We think that it may increase up to 2 percent in the term. If we calculate that international direct investments in the world have been realized at the level of 1.5 billion dollars annually in the last 15-16 years, we should exceed the levels of at least 22.5-23 billion dollars and in the long term the level of 30 billion dollars. “
“Tourism investments have started to become one of our priority sectors.”
Arda Ermut stated that they developed promotional strategies, especially in strategic sectors, by determining Turkey’s needs in the field of investment, and while determining these needs, they focused on areas where Turkey needs to move forward very quickly, such as current account deficit, unemployment and import dependency in high technology products, which are Turkey’s priority issues. .
Ermut said, “In order to ensure that our country develops into a high technology, export and R&D center and becomes a trade and finance center in its region, we give priority to sectors such as energy, aviation, defense, health, machinery, chemistry, tourism and information communication technologies. And in these sectors, we give priority to sectors such as global trade and finance.” “We are carrying out activities to attract investment to our country by identifying the countries that stand out on a scale. The importance of tourism investments in terms of creating added value has gradually begun to be understood. Since the transformation has begun at this point, tourism investments have started to become one of our priority sectors. From our perspective, the importance of this meeting is already evident.” This is an underlining point.” he said.
Explaining that they are trying to increase the diversity in international direct investment through the studies carried out, Ermut added that they have started to see the results of this and that as of last year, Turkey attracted a record level of international investment in real estate investments, with approximately 6.5 billion dollars.
“The new investment law will make revolutionary contributions”
Arda Ermut stated that the 11th Development Plan, which came into force in July, put forward a vision that will bring significant developments to the economy, and said that the 2023 target for international direct investment is 24 billion dollars.
Expressing that they will do their best to achieve this goal, Ermut explained that they will put forward a law on public regulations regarding private investments, that it is currently at the draft stage, and that they will finalize it in consultation with the private sector soon.
Ermut said, “This law will make some revolutionary contributions. We will create a mechanism where very rapid measures can be taken, especially in investments above a certain level, where relevant ministries will work in very good coordination and whose secretariat we will manage. This will lead to very important developments, especially in terms of protection of investments and predictability in bureaucratic processes.” will lead.” he said.
Reminding that they are also responsible for preparing sectoral road maps, Ermut stated that they want to prepare these road maps in cooperation with the private sector.
“We will continue to give priority and support to the tourism sector”
Reminding that Turkey’s number of tourists in 2018 was 39.4 million, Ermut said, “When we look at November data, we see that this figure will be exceeded by 15 percent. Therefore, we see that we have reached the income of 29.5 billion dollars in 2018 as of September 2018.” said.
Stating that Turkey has numerous tourism cities such as Cappadocia, Izmir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Şanlıurfa, especially Istanbul, Ermut said that they are working hard to diversify tourism and spread it throughout Turkey, and that there are now rising stars in the field of tourism in different parts of Anatolia. .
Ermut stated that some cities that could not attract the attention of tourists before now have the opportunity to realize their potential.
Referring to the power and potential of Turkish tourism, Ermut said, “As an office, we will continue to give priority to the tourism sector, as we have done so far, and to increase our work in line with the priority we give.” he said.
Ermut touched upon the critical importance of THY in realizing Turkey’s tourism potential and said that Turkey’s flag carrier airline flies to 125 countries, 313 cities and 316 airports.
On the other hand, the future and transformation of the sector will be discussed in the panels to be held within the scope of the forum, which will continue tomorrow.
