Martin Bligh - Director   

Imogen 2 400400

 

Like many that were kids in the 70's my holidays were spent on a British beach with accommodation in the form of a tent or caravan.. you made your own fun, and if you got lucky you could bag a 99 flake Mr Softee ice-cream. It wasn't until I was 17 and my girlfriend's father invited me to a holiday in the South of France that my horizons widened. I remember the excitement of setting off in the family Volvo on this big adventure like it was yesterday, and it formed a wanderlust in me that has never subsided.

Two years later, my brother and I sold what we had (which wasn't much) and headed off around Europe in a Citroen 2CV (spectacularly uncomfortable seats but the MPG was great). It was a voyage of discovery in all sorts of ways, albeit rather side tracked by the opposite sex. Since then, I have travelled widely, but it has been people and discovery that have created the most abiding memories.

I hope that we can create some of the magic that makes for memorable holidays and that we can welcome you as our guests in the future.

     Imogen Bowery - Sales Manager 
 

Imogen 2 Square

 

Travelling has always been an interest of mine and I have been very lucky with the holidays I have been on and the places that I have been able to explore and experience. I've previously visited destinations such as Florida, Finland, Germany, Italy, France and Spain, as well as travelling to Turkey many times. I have to say visiting the Algarve in Portugal was one of my favourite trips and I'd visit again in a heartbeat.

I have travelled to Kalkan on a few occasions now, both for work and for my own choice of holiday, and I have to say that it is a beautiful town with so much to enjoy. Its charming streets, roof terrace restaurants, beach clubs and friendliness all make it one of my favourite holiday destinations and I do not tire of chatting away about this special place! 

 

Ellicia Brett - Business Administration   

Ellicia

 

My interests in travel first began when I saw how beautiful the Japanese cherry blossom trees were and I decided to look further into their origins. The culture of Japan captured my attention immediately and it drove me to want to keep finding out more, especially since it was so different from that of our own. This then opened my eyes to the rest of the world as I found that there were so many more countries with their own unique cultures that I can get to know and explore.

Therefore, I found that an apprenticeship in the travel industry would be perfect for me. It meant that I could continue to get to know many different places as well as the people who live there.

I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Florida, but to have the chance to travel anywhere else (especially to Turkey and Japan) would just be incredible and a long-term dream come true! 

     Charlotte Bullett - Administration Manager
 

Charlotte New

 

I have always had a love for travel and exploring new places. I've been lucky enough to travel and learn all about the history and culture of different countries with my family, usually consisting of 10 days exploring an island in Greece or Spain or a European city break.

One destination which really excelled my love for travelling was the Dominican Republic, this was the first place I had been to outside of Europe and I completely fell in love with the Caribbean  beaches, the people and, of course, the food! The most memorable day being a catamaran trip to the beautiful Soana Island, stopping for snorkelling and to hold starfishes on the way… just fantastic! 

I enjoy sharing my love for travel with Turquoise Collection guests and look forward to assisting with any aspects of your holiday planning!

Umut Büyüksökmen - Overseas Manager  

Umut Büyüksökmen

 

As a boy I was very enthusiastic in learning English both in school and outside of school through music, movies and literature, with this I gained an interest in exploring different languages, countries and cultures. Upon finishing high school I decided to head to University where I studied Tourism Hotel Management & Travel Business.

Since completing my studies I have enjoyed great opportunities gaining experience across a range of countries and of course within Turkey.

I feel that Turkey offers such a range of different holiday experiences from the forest lined untouched beaches of the Black Sea Coast in the north, the vibrant city life of Istanbul in the west, to the tranquil turquoise coast in the south, and with this much diversity Turkey represents one of the best countries to gain experience in the travel industry.

I have been very lucky to be able to enjoy travel both professionally and for leisure allowing me to meet so many people with very diverse backgrounds and culture. As a traveller I fully appreciate how important it is to have a reliable knowledgeable local contact on hand when needed and I do my very best to provide this for the our guests.

Kalkan has been my home since 2013 and I feel there is little I do not know about the town and local area, which I am more than happy to share with you to help make special holiday memories.

It is so good to catch up with returning friends as well as welcome new guests to Kalkan, who I hope will leave Kalkan as new friends. I hope to see you all in Kalkan very soon!

 

        Casey Harvey - Apprentice Journey Planner  
 

Casey New

My interest in the travel industry began at a very young age, as I was lucky enough to have a family member with an apartment in Florida. I often enjoyed staying here as a child and have recently also visited Mallorca, Turkey, Jamaica and enjoyed some (extremely cold) skiing holidays at Christmas.

I love travelling to new places to experience different cultures, different foods and soak up the sun, and after all there is nothing better to wake you up in the morning than your 3am alarm for the airport!

I'm eager to explore and travel around Kalkan and to share my experience, as well as being equally excited for what's to come with a career in travel.

I began this apprenticeship to learn more about the travel industry in addition to learning about some more beautiful destinations, as well as being your first point of contact to create the holiday of your dreams. 

 

Ria McLaughlin - Administration Apprentice  

Ria


My family holidays have created so many memories and have always been a highlight of my year. My holidays consisted of staying in the British countryside. However, when I went to Barcelona, I found the architecture was something I had never seen before and the culture was captivating, it inspired me to see what the rest of the world had to offer.

I have been lucky to travel with friends which included destinations such as Zakynthos and France. I fell in love with boat trips and turtle spotting was a highlight!

My interest in travel sparked from watching my relatives travel the world and I wish to do the same. I was so excited to start my apprenticeship as I wanted to learn more about the travel industry and about all of the destinations we have to offer. I am excited to see where a career in the travel industry will take me!

 

        Ian Reeves  
 

Ian

 I first got my taste from travelling in my late teenage years back in the 1990s with the rise of the low cost airlines; suddenly the world (Ok it was mainly Europe, but as a naive 18 year old the possibilities in Europe felt immense!) seemed a much smaller place and could be reached for less than a Friday night in my local pub. So armed with a small canvas backpack and a sleeping bag I was off, exploring Europe and North Africa, usually whilst staying in rather sketchy hostels recommended in my trusty, but very outdated, 'charity shop' guide book. On one occasion due to missing the last train of the day I bedded down for the night on a rural empty railway station platform, well it was empty when I feel asleep! I was awoken the next morning by a busy platform of commuters.

With maturity, comes responsibility and to follow my carefree travel years, came the typical family holidays with the usual kids clubs and corny evening entertainment. Not my ideal holiday, but they worked quite well at the time for us as a family.

With the children all older and off on their own adventures, my wife and I tend to look for destinations that are quieter, less brash and at the bequest of my wife, these days our holiday accommodation has to be a little more comfortable than a concrete platform and must include sunshine, a pool and a cocktail!

However once a year my wife tells me that she is having a 'girls holiday' which of course, at first, I make a show of being rejected, hurt, abandoned, but I am straight down my local to meet with my mates to plan our next adventure off the beaten track.

Sezen Sunay - Guest Services  

Sezen

 

I have always been interested in exploring new places and meeting with new people. Since childhood, traveling a lot with my family had a considerable effect on this. I've always enjoyed starting the day in a city I've never been, searching for activities to be done and experiencing the local food.

Even after I left my parents house/hometown to study at university, I continued traveling locally and abroad with my friends. I strongly believe that these experiences have a great impact on the personality I have today. Another great experience I had during university was attending the Erasmus program and going to Barcelona. Working and living like local people at Barcelona was an extraordinary experience for me. Because I stayed with a Catalan family, I had a chance to explore closely the local culture, food and lifestyle.

University life provides many opportunities and allows exploring new interests at clubs that bring together students who enjoy similar interests. I joined a scuba club and the team at the club introduced me to the underwater world which I enjoyed a lot. This even shaped my decision to live in Kaş where I am today! Kaş is the most popular location for diving activities and we travelled here every summer for diving with our scuba team. I have always been impressed with the amazing weather, nature, activities and richness that Kaş offers. I am very happy to be able to live in my dream place.


    Stephanie Stringer - Operations Director
 

Stephanie

I have always been excited by travel, I moved abroad to Gran Canaria when I was 19 and at 20 I backpacked the East coast of Australia, staying in tent all the way! One of my favourite places was Lake Birrabeen on Fraser Island; having taken a wrong turn trying to find the famous (and often crowded) Lake McKenzie, my group stumbled across the most beautiful freshwater lake encompassed by rainforest with crystal clear waters and pure white sand, a true 'we've just walked into the brochure' moment; -and the best bit was, we had it all to ourselves!

I have travelled to several places in Europe and throughout the UK, in recent years my (now) husband and I hired a VW campervan and explored the coast of Cornwall. In 2018 we attended our friends' wedding in Ghana which was a wonderfully colourful extravaganza and an amazing experience! We have holidayed in Dubai where we took a road-trip onto Oman and we recently visited Tokyo, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia on our honeymoon! I have of course been to Kalkan several times and look forward to those magnificent views and the enticing food every time!

On holiday I love to explore and see the history, sights and culture of a new place, I get serious FOMO (fear of missing out) if I'm relaxing too long! I like to research beforehand so I can see and experience everything I can in a new destination. I am a keen cook so also enjoy checking out where and what the locals are eating and drinking to take some inspiration for when I get home!

On my holidays in Kalkan I like to spend at least one day relaxing day on a gulet and have enjoyed paragliding in Kas, quad biking at Patara and tubing at Saklikient Gorge.

 

Louise Whitlock - Premier Collection Personal Concierge

Louise Concierge400.jpg


I was lucky as a young child with holidays abroad with my family every year, to the likes of Majorca, Greece, Tenerife and the usual hot spots. 

My mum then bought a villa in Spain and I was lucky enough to go and stay with her and visit many non-touristy spots giving me an insight into life abroad. I was a regular yearly visitor up until I began my career with the NHS, but I still very much have the desire for travel. 

After spending 16 years with them, my husband and I decided that our 3 children were at a perfect age to experience different worldly cultures, so we moved to (and travelled around) Spain for 7 years.

Whilst there I ran my own Travel and hospitality business, met some wonderful people, learned some amazing life lessons and gave my children the opportunity to do the same. 

In the future I will of course expand on my already fantastic experiences, and take in so much more of this amazing world!