Hosted by Mastercard, the main sponsor of the Champions League, and Garanti BBVA Payment Systems, one of the biggest players in the payment ecosystem, an interview was held at a hotel on the return of football to the national economy.
Mastercard Turkey and Azerbaijan General Manager Avşar Gürdal, Garanti BBVA Deputy General Manager and Garanti BBVA Payment Systems General Manager Murat Çağrı Süzer and Mastercard global brand ambassador Portuguese former national football player Luis Figo attended the talk.
Speaking at the event, Mastercard Turkey and Azerbaijan General Manager Avşar Gürdal said, “As Mastercard, we will host the UEFA Champions League final, of which we have been the main sponsor for nearly 30 years, in Istanbul this year. As Mastercard, we examined card expenditures in the cities that hosted the last three final matches. Considering Turkey’s total tourism revenue of 44 billion Euros last year and Istanbul’s 40 percent share in total tourist expenditures in the same period, we anticipate that the fans will spend 75 million Euros on the weekend when the final will be played.” used the phrases.
Murat Çağrı Süzer, Deputy General Manager of Garanti BBVA and General Manager of Garanti BBVA Payment Systems, said, “When we look at our fan card holders, for example, we see that during derby days, the teams shop at their stores approximately 3.5 times more than in normal times. The total restaurant spending of an average fan card. “On the day of the derby, the spending tendencies of the fans are increasing. In short, we, as Garanti BBVA, offer campaigns and special offers that meet the needs of the fans, which we support both the clubs and the card users, within the framework of our cooperation with our 4 big clubs.” he said.
FIGO: “IT’S GREAT TO FEEL THE SAME EMOTIONS WITH TURKISH FANS”
Mastercard brand ambassador, Portuguese ex-national football player Luis Figo, also met with members of the press at the event.
Answering questions about the “invaluable” moments of his career and Istanbul as well as the UEFA Champions League, Figo said, “The passion for football brings people together all over the world. I am happy. As the Istanbul final approaches, my excitement grows, just like the football fans in Turkey. It is great to feel the same emotions with the Turkish fans. I hope this union will be an unforgettable experience for me and everyone here.” made its assessment.
Emphasizing that the best football players he played with are Brazilian Ronaldo and French Zinedine Zidane, Figo said, “I have to act politically on this issue. For example, if I say Galatasaray to this question, it would be unfair to other clubs. That’s why I can say it’s the national team. “I know the competition between big clubs is like in Portugal. I don’t have the opportunity to follow Turkish football where I live. However, I know Fenerbahce Technical Director Jorge Jesus, he is a good friend of mine. Jesus did a great job in his first year in Turkey. Galatasaray” I also know Portuguese Sergio Oliveira from Turkey. I know that many Portuguese players are successful in Turkey.” he said.
TOTAL 855 EURO PER PERSON IN THREE DAYS
The final match of the number one tournament of European football at club level will be played on Saturday, June 10, between Italy team Inter and England representative Manchester City in Istanbul.
Mastercard and Garanti BBVA Payment Systems calculated the economic contribution of the final match to Turkey. Calculations revealed that the fans stayed an average of 3 nights in the host cities and spent an average of 855 Euros per person on the card.
In the research, it was stated that the amount of card spending of tourists in the host cities increased by 54 percent compared to the previous weekend and by 41 percent compared to the following weekend.
On average, finals increase tourist card spending in host cities by an average of 48 percent. Accommodation, food, clothing and health sectors are at the top of the sectors where tourists spend the most.