Uber has added a new feature on its app for users in Cappadocia, Türkiye. The region, famed for the its picturesque and Instagrammable hot air balloon filled landscapes, is one of Türkiye’s most popular tourist destinations, having welcomed about 10% of the country’s 44.6 million international tourists last year, according to the Turkish culture and tourism ministry.
Uber users can already book their hot air balloon trips for €150 per person. The journeys will depart from Göreme, Cappadocia, taking riders on a 1.5-hour picturesque flight through the UNESCO World Heritage Göreme National Park. With the early liftoff, riders will be able to see the stunning dawn views from almost 1,000 metres in the air.
Availability of Uber Balloon trips is expected to be limited and subject to weather conditions. Riders looking to book a flight are encouraged to book in advance using the Uber Reserve function in the app a minimum of 12 hours prior to departure.
To celebrate the launch of the new feature, Uber is making 100 hot air balloon rides available for free. The free flights will however be limited to four people per day, until the offer expires on 19 November.
Over the last year, Türkiye has become an increasingly popular destination for Uber riders, the company says, international trips having risen by more than 30% and nearly 26 million people having opened the app to request a ride this year alone. Uber now partners with over 38,000 taxi drivers and operates in 9 cities across the country, including the three most populous cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, as well as top tourist destinations like Antalya, with the number of trips taken via the app increasing by over 50% since 2022.
The move to offer hot air balloon rides is part of Uber’s strategy to diversify its offer from just taxi and ride-hailing services, an initiative which the company calls “Go Anywhere”. Over the past, Uber has started offering flight bookings in the UK and has partnered with Eurostar to offer train trips to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam via its app.
