Implementing Turkish Hospitality at Istanbul Airport

The Challenge: Elevating Airport Experience

In the bustling world of international travel, airports serve as gateways to nations, offering visitors their first taste of a country's culture. For Istanbul Airport, this presented a unique opportunity to showcase Turkey's renowned hospitality on a global stage. Our company was tasked with developing and implementing a comprehensive "Turkish Hospitality" program that would set Istanbul Airport apart in the competitive world of international air travel.

The challenge was multifaceted: to create a standardized, high-quality experience for all guests, unite thousands of employees and stakeholders under a single idea, and differentiate Istanbul Airport on the global stage. This required a deep understanding of Turkish culture, guest expectations, and the complex operations of one of the world's busiest airports.

Our Approach: Crafting a Cultural Experience

Research and Concept Development

Our approach began with extensive research and concept development. We collaborated with anthropologists from Ethnogram, the airport's Customer Experience team, and Ipsos, a leading research company. Through role-play observations, in-depth reviews, and focus group research, we gained invaluable insights into what "Turkish Hospitality" truly means and how it could be applied in an airport setting.

Stakeholder Engagement

Central to our strategy was the idea that "Istanbul Airport is our home and everyone who comes to the airport is our guest." This concept extended beyond passengers to include employees, meeters and greeters, airlines, ground handlers, and all service providers. We selected "Culture Ambassadors" from various touchpoints throughout the airport to champion this idea and secured strong support from the CEO and Senior Management.

Training and Feedback

To ensure consistent delivery of the hospitality concept, we implemented a "Train the Trainer" model. This allowed us to standardize the experience at the highest level for all parties involved. We also created recommendation platforms to gather feedback from stakeholders, ensuring that their voices were heard and considered throughout the implementation process.

Communication Strategy

Communication was key to the program's success. We developed a common terminology centered around the concept of "GUEST" and established consistent messaging across all stakeholders. This included regular mailings, releases, and videos about new services and measures, ensuring that everyone from airline staff to ground service companies could inform their guests about the Turkish Hospitality initiative.

Implementation: Bringing Turkish Hospitality to Life

The implementation plan was carefully phased, starting in February with the selection of Culture Ambassadors and concluding in April with the completion of training across different service areas. We customized the content for various airport zones, including the terminal, security, parking, and the IGAPAss service.

Results and Impact

While specific metrics were not provided in the initial documentation, the program aimed to achieve a unified approach to guest service across all airport touchpoints, enhance guest satisfaction, and increase global recognition for Istanbul Airport's unique hospitality approach.

Key Takeaways: Lessons in Cultural Integration

This project demonstrated the power of leveraging cultural heritage as a differentiator in the competitive airport industry. By involving all levels of staff and external partners, and basing our strategy on solid anthropological and market research, we were able to create a program that was both comprehensive and nuanced.

Conclusion: Setting a New Standard in Airport Hospitality

The Turkish Hospitality program at Istanbul Airport serves as a prime example of how a culturally-rooted hospitality concept can be successfully developed and implemented in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. It showcases the potential for airports to go beyond mere functionality and create memorable experiences that reflect the best of their host nation's culture.

As we move forward, the program's built-in feedback mechanisms will allow for continuous refinement and improvement, ensuring that Turkish Hospitality at Istanbul Airport remains a benchmark for airport guest experience worldwide.