Divan Talya, Antalya’s first 5-star hotel, which was closed and demolished in 2013 after serving for 38 years, was rebuilt within the body of Divan Hotels. So, how did Divan ANtalya get its name?

How did Divan Antalya get its name?

Divan Talya, Antalya’s first 5-star hotel, which was closed and demolished in 2013 after serving for 38 years, was rebuilt within the body of Divan Hotels. Experienced tourism expert Mehmet ALFURAN tells the interesting name story of Divan Antalya…

“In 1974, the Talya Hotel was starting. It will be a 300-bed facility. We were saying that a 300-bed facility would be built, a hotel like a factory, or something. We always remember that factories are places and lines of business that employ a lot of workers, we do not know either, of course, there are too many in these hotels. Here, a 300-bed facility will be built.
The name of Talya Hotel at that time started as Antalya Hotel. Since Ercan Evren was equivalent to our Motel Antalya name, he brought them to court and his An was removed, the name became Talya Hotel. Ercan Bey won the case. Its name was also changed to Antalya Hotel.”

Who is Mehmet ALFURAN?

Born in Antalya in 1953, he completed his primary education at Istiklal Primary School, and his secondary education at Antalya Secondary School and Antalya Commercial High School. He spent his childhood and youth in Antalya. Later, he graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Economics and Commercial Sciences. He worked at Antalya Motel, Falez Hotel, Pegasus Hotel, Orient Hotel, Yurt Tur and AKTOB, respectively.

(Source: Turkish Tourism Oral History Research Interview Texts, Volume 1. Project Coordinator and Editor Prof. Dr. Nazmi KOZAK)