When did the metamorphosis begin? Istanbul?
Anne Dumortier Aksoy - 2004, with the NATO summit, seems to me to be a pivotal year.
A whole series of four- and five-star hotels were built for the occasion at a breathtaking pace. Istanbul has since become an important international conference centre and has embarked on a policy of urban transformation.
What are the city's assets?
A. D. A. - Its history, of course, and its geographical location, which makes it easily accessible. But it also has a rich cultural programme, a wide range of restaurants, nightclubs and original venues for private hire, and prices that are currently lower than those in Europe. As a result, the market is exploding. Apart from the off-peak season, we're short of hotels!
Is the old town still a must?
A. D. A. - It all depends. As far as I'm concerned, the old town is my least favourite part of Istanbul. I try not to let groups or individuals sleep there. Of course, it's an open-air museum where you have to spend a day, but I'm more inclined to show people the other side of the Golden Horn, the real Istanbul. Not the frozen city.
What do you prefer?
A. D. A. - Play on the contrasts between clichés - classic visits, oriental cuisine in expected places, belly dancing... - and outings to trendy places that will totally change their perception of the city. I've been in Turkey for over 20 years and I'm tired of this image of a developing country. The experience of life in Istanbul, its cultural and artistic dynamism, always triggers the same kind of reflection at the end: "we would never have believed it!
Special report - Istanbul: arts bridge over the Bosphorus
Istanbul, art bridge over the Bosphorus
- "Helping people discover the real Istanbul, not just the city as it is": Anne Dumortier Aksoy, Kirkit Voyage
