Targeting Over 3 Million Visitors in Pamukkale

Approximately 4,000 people visited Pamukkale at night since the launch of the night museum program last month. Tourism professionals believe that this initiative will help surpass the target of 3 million visitors to Pamukkale, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pamukkale, located in Denizli and renowned for its white travertine terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis, now offers a unique nighttime experience for tourists. The walking paths in the travertine area and within the ancient city, the ancient theater, and the Gate of Hell have been illuminated, providing a different visual appeal.

Visitors who stay until sunset can explore the illuminated site until midnight. Since the start of the night museum program on April 12, around 4,000 people have visited Pamukkale at night. Last year, 2,200,500 people visited the site, while 633,140 visitors were recorded from January 1 to May 27 this year.

Tourism professionals expect to exceed the 3 million visitor target set at the beginning of the year thanks to the night museum program.

Enhancing Cultural Tourism

Gazi Murat Şen, Vice President of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation, emphasized the increased focus on historical sites by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, stating, “In June, July, August, and September, we receive about 500,000 visitors per month. The average age of visitors coming for cultural tourism during the hot months is generally over 60. It was quite challenging for them to tour Pamukkale in temperatures above 40 degrees. With the start of the night museum program, visitors can now enjoy Pamukkale in cooler weather.”

Increased Hotel Stays

Şen mentioned that the night visits have also led to an increase in the number of nights tourists stay in the region’s hotels. He expressed satisfaction with the interest shown by both foreign and domestic tourists.

“We initially set a target of around 3 million local and foreign visitors for this year. However, with the contribution of the night museum program, we believe we can easily surpass this number and even exceed it significantly. We hope to close the season with over 3 million visitors,” he said.

Şen also noted that illuminated sites in Europe attract a lot of interest, and he believes that the illumination of ancient sites and the night museum program will draw more tourists to Pamukkale.