Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy: Tourism will be spread over 12 months

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy drew attention to the efforts to make Turkey a shining star in world tourism. “In this process, one of our most important endeavors has been to spread tourism over 12 months and strengthen quality tourism,” he said.

Minister Ersoy, speaking at the opening of the Olympos Ancient Site Reception Center in the Kumluca district of Antalya, noted that a year filled with tourism records had passed, and stated that the goal for 2024 was to reach 60 million tourists and $60 billion in tourism revenue.

Reminding that Antalya, not only Turkey’s but also one of the world’s most important tourism centers, reached its highest number of visitors of all time last year, Ersoy said, “These successes are certainly not coincidental. Breaking these records and making Turkey a shining star in world tourism is certainly not easy. When we set goals, we put forward a strategy and planning. In this process, one of our most important endeavors has been to spread tourism over 12 months and strengthen quality tourism.”

“Antalya allocated 5.5 billion liras for archaeological sites”

Ersoy emphasized that there is a strong relationship between spreading tourism over 12 months and cultural tourism, and stated that they have initiated the most intensive efforts in history to reveal cultural heritage and create an infrastructure that the whole world can visit.

Stating that they aim to complete in the next 4 years what has been done in the field of archaeology in Turkey in the last 60 years, Ersoy said: “As part of our project titled ‘Golden Age of Turkish Archaeology Centered on Antalya – Legacy to the Future’, we increased the number of archaeological excavations to 720 annually. This is a record globally; currently, Turkey is the country with the highest number of excavations and rescue works conducted within a year in the world. We plan to increase this number to 750 in 2024 and to 800 annually by 2026. By the end of 2028, we allocated 5.5 billion liras for excavations, restoration, and environmental arrangements for archaeological sites in Antalya.”

Minister Ersoy stated that they have started project studies for the reconstruction of the Antalya Archaeological Museum, one of the world’s most important collections, and this will also result in an Underwater Archaeology Museum in Kemer.

Ersoy, reminding that they launched the Aspendos Ancient City as part of the Legacy to the Future project three days ago, stated that the efforts to reveal the history in Aspendos Ancient City will continue rapidly.

“Antalya has no time to lose in terms of service”

On the other hand, Ersoy recalled his promise to build a reception center in the Olympos Ancient City last year and expressed his pride in fulfilling this promise today.

Ersoy stated that they arranged the parking area and walking paths in Olympos and presented the Olympos Ancient Site Reception Center, which cost 65 million liras, to the people of Antalya.

Ersoy stated that they aim to create a cultural heritage corridor along the coastline in Antalya connected to tourism and said: “We have accelerated comprehensive works at all archaeological sites from Gazipaşa to Kaş. Especially in the Olympos and Phaselis regions, we aim to create a quality cultural tourism destination that is integrated with nature, highlighting cultural heritage elements and nature tourism. We will also work for the development of gastronomy tourism in the region. Thus, we certify the region as Antalya’s cultural heritage and ecotourism destination. I always say, there is no time for Antalya to lose in terms of service to implement projects that will make Antalya surpass the world’s most important tourism cities. We need unity to work on projects that will add value to Antalya, not futile political debates.”