New Agent Training Programs Available from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office

New course will treat each of Turkey's major tourist regions separately and highlight rich historical sample itineraries

Together with the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in New York has developed a new training program for agents selling travel to Turkey, allowing them to maximize their sales, whether or not they have been to Turkey. The Turkey Specialist Course will be available online and in PDF form from ASTA's education department. It focuses on sales and marketing strategy development, including the best ways to tailor trips to suit clients' specific needs and interests. The course will treat each of Turkey's seven major tourist regions separately, highlighting the best ways for agents to emphasize Turkey's rich historical past in each area. The course also includes a manual, a map of Turkey, sample itineraries and a course examination.

"Turkey is a multifaceted destination appealing to all sorts of travelers; the secret to successful selling is product knowledge," said Nihan Bekar, director of the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in New York. "The Turkey Specialist Course we have developed with ASTA will ensure that newcomers to the destination have everything they need to sell Turkey expertly, and those who have already been to the country will also find their knowledge and sales skills are greatly enhanced."

ASTA
www.asta.org/education