Mayor says they have upgraded target for number of foreign tourists to visit Bodrum

Bodrum mayor and BOTAV Chairman Ahmet Aras, has stated that they will increase the number of foreign visitors to 2.5 million annually thus obtaining an additional revenue of US dollars 1 billion via diversifying tourism in this area. The mayor said they would also focus on nature, agriculture, gastronomy and sports tourism rather than sea, sand and sun tourism only.

The mayor and chairman of the board of Directors of BOTAV spoke at the meeting on the promotion of the development move in tourism and agriculture initiated by BOTAV and said that Bodrum known as one of the most important tourism destinations in the world was also the “Pearl of Turkey”.

Mr. ARAS said, “Because of the pandemic, people now prefer to spend their time in nature, gardens, fields. In recent years, the sensitivity of organic products has increased thoroughly after the pandemic. People want to be intertwined with nature, touch the Earth, live in houses with gardens. We will also make very important breakthroughs with our moves in agriculture, sports tourism projects that are intertwined with tourism.

Bodrum has been the best tourism destination for 50 years. In near future we will be welcoming a potential of 14 times our official population.

We will encourage investment to increase boutique accommodation capacity in ecotourism areas and revitalize village boarding. We will be a tourism region where our guests who yearn for rural life can participate directly in agricultural activities, be intertwined with nature, provide fresh and healthy food daily, and even grow these products.”