With the establishment of its own Destination Management Company (DMC) in Antalya, SOCCATOURS is driving the further development of the SOCCA GROUP - and ensuring sustainable quality standards for football, swimming and tennis in one of Europe's most traditional training camp destinations. The aim of the establishment is to further improve the customer experience and ensure quality and reliability on site. In addition to the quality assurance of sports facilities, the new company will also take over the operational handling of transfers, test matches and personal guest support on site.
For decades, the Turkish Riviera has been a place of longing for European sports teams - especially in winter. However, only a few providers have recently been able to guarantee consistent quality and reliability. With the operational launch of the new DMC SOCCATOURS Turkey in June 2025, the European market leader is now providing the strategically decisive answer: its own structures, its own standards - directly on site.
"Antalya is and remains one of the most attractive regions for winter training camps. We firmly believe that this potential can be exploited even more. With our own DMC, we are making a long-term investment in structures, service and quality on site - underlining our commitment to the region. I am particularly pleased to have gained Ilhan Celikli, an experienced expert in Turkish incoming tourism, as Country Manager. Our vision: to make Antalya Europe's number 1 for training camps. And we have come to stay. " - Marcus Häusler, CEO of the SOCCA GROUP
What began with footballis now also opening up to swimming and tennis. The new DMC is an integral part of the SOCCA GROUP and will manage training camps for all three brands in future:
By bundling the infrastructure - transfers, hotel coordination, quality assurance of the sports facilities and guest care - uniform quality standards are created for all sports. In addition to football, swimming and tennis clubs also benefit from professional processes, central coordination and new capacities in the Antalya region.
"Turkey is not only strong for soccer - it also offers excellent conditions for swimming and tennis groups. Our mission is to ensure this standard in the long term - not through third parties, but through our own organization." - Ilhan Celikli, Country Manager Turkey
The TÜRSAB-licensed DMC not only optimizes local operations - it also creates a strategic bridgehead for further expansion. Turkey is therefore a central element of the long-term roadmap: a dedicated DMC in each key target market - a successful model that has already been established in Italy, Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
For coaches, club managers and travel decision-makers, this means
The introduction of our own DMC in Turkey means no more intermediary risk. All services - from booking to implementation - are now completely under the organizational management of SOCCATOURS. This makes Turkey not only more attractive, but also more reliable - especially for sports groups with high demands on organization, performance and support.
"The founding of DMC is not a short-term trend - it is a commitment to the region. Under our aegis, Turkey will once again become the epicentre for high-quality training camps in the cold season." - Marcus Häusler
Package tours offer legal security, organizational clarity and financial protection, especially for training camps abroad. Those who book through SOCCATOURS benefit from legally regulated services, cancellation rights and protection in the event of problems. A key advantage when booking training camps with SOCCATOURS:
You can find all the details on the advantages of a package tour for sports groups in the SOCCATOURS magazine article: Advantages of a package tour.
Year after year, sports teams in Turkey end up with unlicensed organizers, brokers or agencies that present themselves professionally - but offer no legal protection or operational expertise. The consequences range from inferior sports facilities and incomplete services to complete performance fraud. Particularly affected: amateur and junior teams that fall for cheap bait offers.
This is why we appeal to all clubs, coaches and travel managers:
Only book with licensed, liable and operationally experienced providers - with reliable structures on site.
By founding DMC SOCCATOURS Turkey, we are sending out a strong signal against these abuses. Our wholly owned subsidiary with a TÜRSAB license stands for audited sports facilities, transparent processes and personal support - from a single source. As the market leader in Europe, we guarantee legal security, financial security and the highest quality standards - documented, measurable, verifiable.
"We know the dark sides of the market - and we actively combat them. Our aim is to create trust through professional structures. Our promise: If you travel with us, you travel safely." - Ilhan Celikli, Country Manager Turkey
Read here about the real risks, how scams actually work - and how you can effectively protect yourself and your team:
Beware of scams at training camps in Turkey - What you need to know!
DMC SOCCATOURS Turkey will be fully integrated into the SOCCATOURS, SWIMTOURS and TENNISTOURS platforms as early as the 2025/26 season. The bundled communication and service solutions for all brands will come into play, creating completely new opportunities for performance-oriented training camps in Turkey.
The establishment of DMC SOCCATOURS Turkey is more than just an operational step - it is a clear strategic statement. For more control, for better service, for a sustainable return of Turkey to the map of the best training camp destinations in Europe - in soccer, swimming and tennis.
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