How the concept of hospitality is changing in Turkey: an interview with Muzaffer Aygün, owner of the Cullinan Belek Hotel
Muzaffer Aygun is a well-known name in the Turkish tourism industry. He is a representative of a family dynasty that founded a number of hospitality businesses under the AYG group of hotels brand, the most famous of which are the Titanic Hotels chain and the Cullinan Belek premium hotel, which opened 3 years ago.
It so happened that we met Mr. Muzaffer Aygün several times: for the first time 3 years ago, when the Cullinan had just opened, then we greeted each other at an event of one of the tour operators, and finally, in October 2024, we were introduced to each other by Sezgin Özer*, after which this interview took place.
We had a lot of questions to ask the leaders of Turkish hospitality - after all, the interests of the Ukrainian tourism industry are focused on Turkey, where the main sales volumes, profits and losses of major players are generated, and where the well-being of travel agents depends on. Therefore, first of all, Mr. Muzaffer Aygün and I discussed his vision of the processes related to the development of tourism in Turkey. And then we moved on to the principles that have enabled the family-owned AYG group of hotels to demonstrate its ability to raise the bar for decades.
Mr. Muzaffer, how do you see the prospects for all-inclusive in Turkey? There is talk that this system has outlived its usefulness and does not allow hotels and resorts to develop.
Turkey is famous for its all-inclusive concept, and I believe it is the most powerful aspect of our hospitality. It has proven to be so attractive that even global brands come to us to explore it, and many have already begun to implement this approach in their own countries. Of course, any concept needs to be developed, and we strive to improve our work, create our own unique product, and personalize the attitude towards each guest on an all-inclusive basis.
One of the complaints about all-inclusive is that it encourages excessive consumption. Can anything be done about it?
Yes, this task is very interesting for us. We will present our vision in the new Cullinan, which will soon open in Bodrum. We are preparing a non-standard solution that will allow us to reduce surplus products and give our guests even more attention and individualized service.
What should be on the menu of an all-inclusive hotel to make it comply with the premium status?
Quality meat, fresh fish, desserts and chocolate, alcohol. It is very important to control quality on a daily basis. In our hotels, this is done by the owners, and we go around, see what the situation is in the restaurants, and try the food.
It is important to note that all inclusive is not a template, but a concept that covers all aspects of a hotel's operation and is constantly evolving. Especially now we are facing another major stage of change.
How will the concept change?
It is based on a different business philosophy. Not just to accommodate, feed, and entertain guests, but much more, with attention to detail and a commitment to high style. In our understanding, a la carte restaurants should meet the gastronomic taste of our guests. Entertainment for adults is becoming more meaningful, with a focus on art. It is not enough to just keep children busy. I can say from the example of our hotels that we create a whole world for them. Our kids' clubs have their own chefs, a separate menu, and kind, attentive animators who speak several languages and find an approach to everyone. But in fact, all their activities are aimed at the development of children. Some of them learn something specific: wood carving, drawing, yoga, dancing. Others learn to communicate and broaden their understanding of the world. The fact that children are happy to run to the club in the morning is the most convincing argument for us: we are on the right track. When children are happy, the family is happy.
All these tasks require investment. How realistic are they on an industry-wide scale?
Many of your colleagues are dissatisfied with the financial results of the summer season, even though everyone kept prices high and no one complained about the workload.
Indeed, due to inflation and the rise of the euro, profits in the market as a whole have declined. But I am sure that this does not affect the service. Our family has a lot of experience - the first restaurant in Germany was opened about 50 years ago. Since then, the business has gone through different times - sometimes financially better, sometimes worse. But during this time, we have learned to build a balance so that difficult periods do not force us to abandon our principles and the company always moves forward. Today, the family holding includes the Titanic and Cullinan luxury hotels and 14 restaurants, but for us, as before, the quality of service always comes first. All other issues can be resolved. I think all responsible entrepreneurs in our environment are guided by the same approach.
How have you managed to maintain a balance between family and professional relationships for so many years? As far as I know, not only the older generation, but also your children are involved in business.
We are six brothers and we are committed to the same goal. That's what we're based on. Each of us has a separate area of responsibility, and no one interferes in anything that does not belong to him. We have also developed principles of continuing the family dynasty: we give our children a good education, and in the field in which they can be useful. Then they are sure to gain experience in other hotels and take the simplest positions. And then, having proven themselves, they join our holding. They grow with the company, follow the rules - this is how we avoid internal competition.
There is an opinion that small boutique hotels with an eco-theme are more likely to succeed in Turkey. What do you think?
We have room for different options, but I still think the Turkish model is primarily a family vacation, a vacation with children. You can fly to us fairly quickly from Ukraine and Europe, we have a stable warm climate and a long swimming season. At the same time, there are opportunities for excursions and shopping.
New ideas are born mainly in the premium segment of hotels, which, by the way, began to develop largely thanks to tourists from Ukraine. Europeans were even jealous of us. When we began to receive high-profile guests, we began to change our attitude to service, pay much more attention to details, and so raise the level of our capabilities year after year. I think this trend will continue.
