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Turkey – Tourist Flavour of the Decade In the shadows of Suleyman and Attaturk. Right behind Greece and nestling between the East and West, this giant of history with a collar of millennia of contribution to mankind struggles to its feet with amazing speed. Since the defeat of the forces of the massive and feared Ottoman Empire during the early part of the 20th. Century, one deep footprint marks the base from which this incredibly fascinating country seeks to launch its bid for world recognition once again. The footprint is the pledge to modernize and balance its conflicting ethnic demands in an attempt to offer a face unmarred by the bitterness of the past or unrealistic demands. The footprint also belongs to the singular Attaturk whose personality, grinding persistance and fruitful illusions, carved a niche for the country in the hearts of the people of the West whose doors had been firmly shut against it. Striding East and West across the mythical Bosphorus, it revives with a shudder that can be felt in every corner of the globe. Whether this movement dies at its point of birth is still to be seen, but the chances are that its modern founder, weighs heavily on the grateful conscience of a nation which bears the marks of internal strife and a religious friction brought about by the natural antipathy of the Muslim community for the style and what they see as, the cosmetic religion of the West. A better placed and genuinely hospitable community of cultures would be difficult to find so close to Europe. For the British and Germans, the prospects of good entrepreneurial investments in tourist orientated infrastructures and luxury holiday homes, are unlimited, especially in these early stages of development. Statistics show that the low levels of delinquency and the affectionate nature of its people, show the sort of promise of lucrative adventure that is not to be found in Europe today. The genuine attempt to reduce the aggressive bureaucratic interference found in many European countries, shows the sort of level of emerging understanding that goes with 21st.century thinking. The cultivation of a tourist economy based on partnership of interests stands a very good chance of blossoming even in the crowded cities of Istanbul and Ankara. The Turks have placed the country on a platter and for those with a taste for unusual and stimulating, experiences alongside a passionate and intelligent people, this is very much the place to travel and live in. A founder and historic milestone The charismatic Attaturk reconciled the differences between the Christian and Muslim community with the cry to arm the nation with the world´s strongest allies and their financial support. His demands on a strict division between Church and State has, until recently been faithfully respected and it looks as if moderate Islam will continue to follow the rule in the country´s bid for influence and international respect. Today, at the slightest quiver of extreme Muslim demands, the nation´s elite gather with determination to ensure that Turkey will never be a Theological and oppressed nation. The very future of the country and its people depends on this unique issue and one which like Morocco, its people appear to understand only too well. Their instincts tell them however, that the balance cannot be taken for granted in the light of the extremists whose concerns do not include modern concepts of freedom and human rights. As such, therefore, any attempt on the side of the government or religious institutions to overdo their superiority, will provoke heated debate long before the symptoms of disorder reach street levels. The Turkish Islamic community has, in the main, established a firm base of foreign credibility. It's extreme edges as with other mainly Muslim community, continue to threaten, if only as a constant reminder that the country´s roots are in Islam. Higher levels of employment and a wider distribution of wealth will work wonders with respect to the contentment that usually controls fanatical demands. The Messianic figure of the prophet Mohammed permeates the world of Islam with the same intensity as Jesus to the Christian societies with the added and little understood concept that the latter is also a very highly ranked Messianic ancestor of the muslim people. Islam and Christianity are therefore blood brothers both historically and spiritually which makes the whole business of religious intolerance a matter more for the ignorant than for the well educated masses, which Turkey already enjoys. The Ottoman Empire and the creation of the world's most advanced and humane European society which the Caliphate of Cordoba demonstrated, is a product of moderate Islam. It is without doubt what the he highly polished and far seeing Prophet Mohammed clearly wanted, if we study his life and deeds. Alas, like all things that work too well, the minority elements within the Caliphate and the internecine strife brought on by leadership jealousies and greed instilled the conflict that gradually but surely, saw the work of his followers washed down the drain. It was after all the dreaded and aggressive Almansur who cornered the wounded Christians and left them little choice but to muster every vengeful act of retaliation. The loss of "Al Andalus" finds a parallel in the sort of conflicts that can be seen in the world of Islam today. Whether or not there is a reason for the intransigence, is beside the point. Turkey however, by establishing a varied and multicultural community of peoples, is capable of absorbing its internal demands both economically and religiously with a firmness that can provide a safe and welcoming home for any visitor. The extraordinary thing about Turkey and its people is that despite suffering the loss of an empire in the same way that Britain did during the last century, it has managed to preserve the cohesiveness and uniformity of aspirations throughout the vast territory that is missing in most of the countries of Europe today. Turkey and its culture grows in status at a remarkable speed because of a self esteem devoid of the arrogant disdain for other cultures which is still present in some of the European countries today and which are now suffering badly as a result. It may also have something to do with its size and its healthy respect for work. Turkey is an industrial state with an appetite for advancement and which already competes favourably with the international community. A dribble of the right funding support without too many strings, would undoubtedly provide the boost for an economic growth that would benefit all who invest in it at this early stage, including the outsider. Tourism could well be that cash flow factor and its heaving cities with visitors from across the globe staring at its monuments and virgin beaches, are testimony to the potential. Without reinvestment in a varied economic platform however, it could easily slide downwards after the brilliant climb. The seat of the Garden of Eden, Turkey is the only territory to hold the incredible title of the "cradle of modern civilisation". It ranks as the base from which most of the world´s social and religious configurations developed from. Its plains before the majestic Taurus Mountains are the very birthplace of modern agriculture and the first establishment of township and settled communities. Its mount Ararat is synonymous with Noah and our supposed natural ancestors, who survived the destructive floods. Its mountain plains, are often quoted as likely sites of the legendary Garden of Eden. Simply going through the litany of the nations and cultures that have populated such an intrinsically fertile territory, both socially and religiously is like reading all the history that we had pushed down our throats since early childhood. The Medians and King Midas - the Phrygians with their Jacobite caps and the sun God Mithras and later Zoroaster from which much of Christianity derives – the Bythinians with their Christian like baptisms - the Etruscans from Caeria who went on to create Italy and the Latin language, the Hittites and the Hurrians who formed the base of Anatolia and much later the great Constantine who gave Christianity its pedestal and future empire.- all in the same place. It was from the Istanbul of colossal Mosques and impressive power, that Byzantium harnessed the forces of ancient Rome and assumed its authority. No lesser credit of pleasure and enjoyment must be given to our tales of the Orient - of Ali Baba and the flying carpets that brought misty eyes to the children of the West with an impact beyond anything the west could counter with. Turkey the ancient Anatolia of the letters from Paul of Tarsus to the ancient tribal remnants. Anatolia, where the people of these tribes migrated from to create Europe and whose cities like Ephesus and Edessa rallied to the Christian cause before any other in the West, is brimming with history. A passionate evolution that dies and rises like the legendary Phoenix is difficult to find elsewhere, except perhaps in Persia, now Iran, which lamentably wilts today with ideological excess. Turkey stands today at the doors of Europe, a little hesitant with so much history behind it. It does not stand with cap in hand but with mind over matter as the future beckons with opportunities that cannot be missed. In exchange, Europe, a little cautious and smarting with Islamic challenges warily considers what is now a foregone conclusion – it's entry into the community of European nations. The chances that Turkey will play a key role is also fairly obvious in view of the size of the economy and its people. This little step to total integration is not however devoid of very real social problems on both sides of the divide. Europe offers markets and new territorial living space for those who seek it. It also offers refuge (as it has done in the past), to those who prepare themselves to undermine the stability of their original countries, (as eternal conspirators always do), within the safe folds of accommodating hosts. The issue however, which has not been properly understood by the West in the past (and often misinterpreted) is a critical one. Any exterior subversive platform, (whatever the political or religious inclination), could trigger off a reaction that Europe is immune to but which Turkey would be forced to counterbalance with disastrous results. Even more so, if the process of integration, including monetary union, was already well on its way. This is a major consideration where Turkey is concerned, in view of the present delicate state of the Islamic conflicts all too visible today. Whilst the upper and business classes would no doubt benefit instantly with the access to funding, the rigorous and efficient tracking of any form of financial support is crucial to the demands of the much chastised taxpayers who represent a minority in the hitherto wasteful processes of aids. The lower economic and pastoral members of a society like that of Turkey that covers a wide tapestry of folklore and cultural needs,represents a challenge for the investors which has not been adequately met in many European countries today. For the European experience to survive and its varied people equally served by the alliance, corruption, nepotism and human rights factors have not only to be addressed, but studiously followed with the sincerity that has not been present with certain beneficiaries of the present European experiment. A permanent platform of genuine production investment with conceptual banking designed to provide a parallel, contributive service to its creators is paramount before other issues are tackled. It is this issue of privilege and fraud which has alienated most of the demoralised inhabitants of heavily taxed nations of Europe. It could also well prove to be the straw that broke the camel's back, taking into account that many of the old members of the union have still not reached the contribution stage. Turkey could perhaps be the model for future new entry management. There is a basic need therefore to ensure that future, growing unemployment rates do not question where the monies have gone. A British and German target, Turkey is the now the prime venue of the British and German tourist selecting as they did in Spain, their own quarters to inhabit. The English language is the second most taught in Turkey and the British tourists are finding it an added advantage, apart from the strength of the purchasing power the pound has in Turkey and which it does not enjoy in Europe whatever some of the brochures may say. The Turkish people are used to cultural mixes of a type not easily understood by Westerners and the respect shown for foreign investment under their more progressive leaders, makes good reading. The British also enjoy a healthy appreciation which comes from the innate admiration the Turks have for fighters and victors. Most of the upper levels of Turkish society are Anglophile and their children are urged where economically possible, to study in British and American schools. Canada also has a fair share of Turkish children whose parents often struggle and perform miracles to get them there. As this concern for education shows, the upper classes of the Turkish people sponsor and support cultural and artistic innovation, taking genuine interest in its national writers and revere those who break the cultural barriers to gain international support. Today, it has at least one Nobel writer under its belt. as any Turk will proudly tell you. The West has also assimilated the Turkish people not only as basic immigrants, but the young, through the rotating, appetizing Doner Kebabs have made its food, the major challenge to the Burger empires. The Turks mix well with all nationalities and the Kurds in particular who seek havens away from their cultural conflicts back home, are mainly atheistic and do not represent a threat of radical religious proportions. Although Kurds today can have every religion within their ranks, these are conditioned by their own cultural heritage and all in the main are moderate. In fact, the lesson of the last twenty years shows a Kurdish integration internationally that now provides the base for a hefty income to the coffers of the Turkish state. The Turkish immigrant population of Europe has spread its wings within the catering business and shown a keen eye on secure investments with an eye on legislation and rule books that others, less concerned, have perished by. It is not easy to fool a Turk because of his natural curiosity as to why things are done in one way or another. If he comes across something that could cause problems by implication, it will not take him long to find out all about it to the point of exasperation of those who have to repeat the explanation performance regularly. Today, the European Turkish community is well integrated socially and genetically in Germany and Great Britain. These factors alone, ensure that every year, increasingly adventurous European tourists from all walks of life choose Turkey as their next port of call. As a result, the development boom is well under way and the relevant Mediterranean and Adriatic shores, still virgin by far, are beginning to swell out in the same way that it did with Spain and France in the eighties. Southern Europe has lost its charm to the discerning British resident abroad through increasing abuses of fiscal rights and racially inspired taxation that has deterred future investment. Additionally, abnormally high number of tourists embroiled in police action and judicial inefficiency has led to unacceptable losses and disturbing experiences of judicial unfairness to many. The situation continues alongside increasing costs which now make some parts of Meditteranean Europe more expensive than Northern capital cities. For foreign residents, the lack of social centres and high level entertainment infrastructures at the expense of massive, sterile urban concentrations, has also contributed to this now rapidly accelerating exodus from the scene. The sorry state of its beach with broken promises of proper waste infrastructures have not helped either. The shorelines illustrate the catastrophic ecodisaster that this ribbon development has created, as less and less tourists dare to swim in the slime. The clarity of the Adriatic is therefore a gratifying surprise. The relative cheapness of its touristical offer and quality of its food is also an attractive issue. The new age traveller and future foreign residents now seek the sort of simplicity and support of business effort that is non existant in lower Europe that has become increasingly obstructive to the point of driving their service sector investors away. The Spanish people themselves now find shopping in Britain and the USA a welcome respite to the cost of goods like clothing and accessories in their own country. London restaurants are nearly half the price of those in Spain and the quality of the food and presentation in the UK, (much demeaned by the Iberians), is infinitely superior. Business investment in Spain, Portugal and Italy is also being badly affected as labour costs shoot through the roof and production remains way behind that of any of the Northern countries. Unions and constant Ministerial interference in budding businesses with huge penalties (beyond the capacity to pay), for obscure Europe engineered infringements, imply that small and medium sized companies represent an easy target for the raising of indirect and destructive taxation. The labour courts of Spain, in particular are a nightmare for unsuspecting foreign investors used to democratic controls. The smash and grab tactics of the biased judges, apart from the humiliation experienced by the largely highly educated entrepreneurs,range from overnight direct entry into individual bank accounts to the establishing of court auctions, strangely devoid of bidders to purchase hastily embargoed assets. The machinations of well trained disgruntled workers therefore, can extract untold fortunes from businesses forced to close as a result. This creation of unemployment is either unsuspected in Europe or otherwise ignored. The European community calls for changes against offending countries, have largely gone unheeded in particular with respect to the chicanery which appears to damage the interests of foreign nationals in the main. The threat of sanctions in extreme cases of unlawful legislation weighed against foreigners, has not even dented the resolve to turn state interests into legal demands. The case in points, is that of expropriations of privately owned assets which are made with a disrespectful lack of concern for human rights and adequate market compensations, that defy the very nature of democracy. Press attention to the matter has permanently damaged the friendly image that led to the uncontrolled plunge for the Spanish shores. The British, who are by nature vulnerable to issues beyond their comprehension, are the worst hit and this explains why the tide has turned and why they are now seeking solace in Turkey and Croatia - changes with history in the making. Satisfied foreign residents will pave the way for European entry. If Turkey ensures that its legislation is up to the needs of the foreign community, the pathway to Europe is well signalled. A substantial slice of the UK foreign travel market has Turkey on it menu and a significant percentage of those who originally chose Spain and France will find their way there within the next five years. The British people are travellers essentially and the exotic and historically interesting has always challenged their mental taste buds. Turkey, without doubt, has all the ingredients that satisfy an investment of a sizeable proportion. For the price of an average, Southern European villa, a substantial or upper market property can be got anywhere in the new emerging areas that are still unspoilt and which offer outstanding beauty and crystal clear waters. The surrounding countries like Italy, Greece, Malta and the Holy Land are within easy reach by air and roads lead to everywhere, anybody would want to go to. Additionally, investment in business property like hotels, ancient monuments and golf clubs are way beneath anything Europe can offer at the price with the likelihood of substantial capital gains within five years. The Turkish people as most Europeans now know, are amiable, very tolerant and good businesspeople. They appear to be straight laced and conscious of the need to be prudent and honest in their dealings with others. There are exceptions of course, but most educated people know that there are many different shades of grey between black and white. Authority in Turkey is probably a little more centralised and stricter than in Britain, but it compares favourably with other competing countries which pretend to be otherwise. Like most highly cultured races with a profound historical colour, fools are not tolerated gladly and self respect is an old fashioned value that the people of the country value greatly. They are by aspiration, lovers of Western ways and many long to be able to reach the shores of Britain and find out what it is all about - from their own point of view. Their television programmes are not all that different to Western ones and political programmes are not excessive or boring. Life in the big cities is as colourful as anyone would expect from the land of Suleyman the Magnificent, which, during his days and empire, rivalled the glories and advancements of most countries of the world at the time. This was recognized by the Christian authorities who left Constantinople hurriedly and who saw the new power emerge with an alarm that later turned to respect as it forged a vast empire that reached out to the Middle East and Europe itself. Turkey after all has been there long before. The Vatican and Christian Crown authorities, not only developed a policy of mutual non interference, but often sought the alliance to achieve a purpose that would have been unthinkable without them. It was also, not unknown for rival parties within the Christian world to lobby the Court of the Grand Sultanate for support to trip the balance and for Suleyman himself to act as mediator with the West when times allowed. Like the Austrian, Napoleonic and British empires, the Ottoman came to an untimely end and much to the detriment of Islam within which it had a safe haven. Perhaps,with her entry into the Commonwealth of Europeans, this jewel of a potential force for growth could provide the dynamism and challenge within the folds of those who have, at one time or another, had reason to keep her at bay. -------------------------------------------------- Since this article was written, much water has run under the bridge and Turkey is now a place of fear for many potential visitors. Islam has entered the political platform and with it the fears of the loss of civil liberties and dreaded religious bigotry. As such it has distanced itself from Europe even more and may well perhaps lose a whole generation of support from the outside world. It could mean a generational loss in a country which was almost cosmopolitan and with a happy and interesting people. Since this article was written, Turkey has entered the shadows of religious radicalism and democracy begins to fade. Attaturk would not be a very happy Statesman today and the fears of repression and low educational standards could well undermine all that has been achieved since the execution of a President forced a line of change. About the Author. Michael Mifsud is in fact probably descended from the same Seleucid Turk family of Messud o Messudi as the name appears in various forms of minor changes in Malta. He published Britain´s first trade journal for Drivers and travelled the world on British Royal Tours for over a decade meeting leaders as a bonus throughout the globe. He is a passionate art collector and one time top executive of the Knights Templar Order which came out of the silence into the 18th.century in Versailles under the crown heir. He was the youngest lobby correspondent in the House of Commons at age 16 and also of the Commonwealth Press Union. He delights in researching the origins of Man and pioneered new insights on Neanderthal Man and his cross breeding with Cro Magnon. m
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