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Minister’s call: Municipalities to prepare an urgent tourism master plan

MARUF BUZCUGIL / GAZIANTEP Making statements to journalists in Gaziantep during the 10th leg of this year's Culture Road Festivals, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that tourism master plans are the work of municipalities and that they have made a call to municipalities on this issue and said the following: “We have written especially to Metropolitan Municipalities and all municipalities. We are asking you to create your tourism master plans urgently. Tourism master plans should be created by municipalities. We will give support. But it is not something we can do. Street sanitization is not our job. Transportation infrastructure is not our job. Treatment infrastructures, overhead infrastructures. These are not the ministry's job. You will build the best airport in the world, but you must provide tent transportation to the city center.” TURKEY HAS ITALY IN ITS SIGHTS Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that Turkey will surpass Italy in terms of the number of tourists next year and rise to fourth place in the world ranking. Minister Ersoy said that despite the European football championships in Germany and the Olympic Games in France in July and August, the number of tourists arriving did not decrease and that they are behind the target of over 60 million tourists and over $60 billion in tourism revenues in 2024. Reminding that Turkey was 7th in the tourism world ranking in 2017, Minister Ersoy said, “We are in the top 5 in 2024. God willing, next year we will surpass Italy in the number of tourists and rank 4th.” Ersoy reminded that Italy established the world's first tourism development agency in 1919, and that it came to Turkey 100 years later in 2019, and said that Italians today come to remember the past and ask about the successful activities of our Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA). CITIZENS TRAVELING TO GREEK ISLANDS Answering a question about Turkish citizens flocking to Greek islands, Ersoy said: “Shall I say something broader and more realistic? Everyone in the world, all countries are our potential visitors. At the same time, all countries in the world are our potential competitors. Tourism is like that. Someone goes and steals from your restaurant. Someone steals a little bit of your culture. Everyone can steal something from you. You can steal something from everyone. Everyone is our target potential competitor. This is how you plan it.” BASEMENT, FOUNTAIN DEPENDENT ONLY ON LOCAL TOURISTS Minister Ersoy said that the reason for the high cost in Bodrum and Çeşme is that they are indexed to a single type of tourism and the Turkish market, and that tourism here cannot be spread over 8 months and a year. Ersoy said, “The problem with Çeşme and Bodrum is that they are indexed to a single market. This is a general strategy. When you create a tourism that is only indexed to the Turkish market, it starts around the end of June 15 when the schools close. It starts to shrink in the last week of August. Because it is related to the opening and closing of schools.” CULTURAL ASSETS IN THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE TO RISE IN 2025 Answering a question about the status of cultural assets in the earthquake zone, Minister Ersoy said that all cultural assets belonging to the public sector will be restored by the end of 2025. Ersoy said that they accept all applications for cultural assets belonging to the private sector, citizens, not belonging to the public sector, not belonging to the General Directorate of Foundations and the General Directorate of Cultural Assets, but belonging to our citizens and that they have started a grant program. SUPRA-POLITICAL OWNERSHIP OF CULTURE ROAD FESTIVALS Minister Ersoy stated that Culture Road festivals are in great demand and acceptance from provinces at the local level and said, “We are always going for institutionalization. The ownership above politics is what we aim for. It has now reached 16 cities. It will be 20 next year. Our goal is to increase it to 35.” Stating that there is an intense demand from municipalities, Ersoy said, “We have made a new structure in our Ministry. We have created a General Directorate of Living Heritage and Cultural Activities. The expert team organizes these works in the general directorate. There is a very wide spread. The number of provinces is increasing every year. If possible, we continue the festivals on the same dates every year.” Without compulsory membership, there would not be a single member left in TÜRSAB Minister Ersoy, without mentioning his name, referred to the statements of TÜRSAB President Firuz Bağlıkaya and shared his views on the union as follows: “All NGOs except TÜRSAB are based on volunteerism. All managers and members are volunteers. There are no difficulties or sanctions. This is not the case in the world either. Only in our country, unfortunately, it was made compulsory when the law was made at the time. Compulsory membership was introduced. If you remove the obligation today, you will not find a single member in TURSAB. There are weaknesses due to TÜRSAB management. But look at other voluntary NGOs, the number of members is increasing day by day. Because they are based on volunteerism. They do the right things in the right way. They prioritize their personal interests and the interests of the organization. Unfortunately, there is a rotten structure there. That structure continues in that way. For us, it is not the biggest NGO in the sector. The biggest NGO of the sector is accommodation (Hoteliers Association). At the moment, transportation NGOs are much better because of the role they play.” Without mentioning his name, Ersoy said, “If you want to make political opposition, join a political party” regarding the claims of TÜRSAB President Bağlıkaya. THY is our biggest weapon Stating that Turkey's biggest weapon in developing tourism is THY, Minister Ersoy said: “We said that every destination where the Red Flag flies will be a target destination from now on. It was a very clear and wide target. Turkish Airlines flies direct to 330 destinations. From 330 points, we will bring tourists, we will promote wherever it flies. In this way, we started to promote in 200 countries. As of 2019, Turkey has become a country that promotes in 200 countries in the world, promoting intensively and effectively.”

Scientific research: Famous tourism city will be submerged

Scientists in Italy have stated that the system of flood barriers will not be sufficient to protect Venice from sinking and rising sea levels, predicting that the city will be submerged by the year 2150. According to Euronews, a new study conducted by scientists in Italy has revealed that parts of the country's lagoon city, Venice, will be underwater by 2150. The research was carried out by experts from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), analyzing data on rising tide levels. Venice, one of the world's most touristic cities, has been struggling with increasingly frequent flooding for decades. Currently, there is a flood barrier system in the 550 square kilometer shallow bay in the Northern Adriatic Sea surrounding Venice and its islands. However, scientists believe that these barriers will not be sufficient to continuously protect the canal city from sinking and rising sea levels. A group of scientists from INGV found that the tide level in the Venice lagoon is rising by about half a centimeter per year. Scientists estimate that some parts of Venice's most famous square, St. Mark's Square, will be 70 centimeters underwater. The city's western side will also be one of the first affected areas. This region, which experienced flooding 58 times between 2019 and 2023, is one of the most frequently flooded areas. Marco Anzidei, an INGV researcher, said, "The rise in sea level, especially if accelerated by local subsidence, leads to increasingly severe and widespread coastal erosion, shoreline retreat, and marine flooding with very significant environmental and socio-economic impacts for communities."

Growing backlash against mass tourism: "This is not tourism, it's an invasion"

In popular European tourist destinations like Spain, Italy, and Greece, there is growing backlash against mass tourism. In Spain's Mallorca island, a protest against mass tourism on Sunday ended with police intervention. Activists at Es Caló des Moro, one of Mallorca's dream coves, protested the overcrowding of beaches, chanting slogans like "tourists out" in an effort to reclaim the beaches for locals. Activists from the group Mallorca Platja Turu hung banners saying "Ocupem les nostres plages" (Let's occupy our beaches!) and "És ben hora d'aturar" (It's time to stop). Police created barriers between activists and tourists amid heightened tensions at the beach. NEED FOR CONTROL On May 27th, fifteen thousand people in Mallorca protested the increasing number of tourists with banners saying "tourists go home" and "Mallorca is not for sale." Locals expressed their displeasure with the influx of tourists by booing them during the demonstration. The organizing group, Banc del Temps, attributed rising rents and prices to the tourism boom and announced their intention to continue protests. Mallorcans are not only concerned about high prices but also about the noisy entertainment style of tourists. Groups advocating for tourism control are urging authorities to restrict property sales to foreigners. On July 21st, a mass protest is planned in the Balearic Islands, emphasizing that the island and its beaches cannot sustain such high levels of tourism. Activists underscored their ongoing fight against mass tourism, stating "Menys turisme, més vida" (Less tourism, more life). The Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain located in the middle of the Mediterranean, include islands like Menorca, Mallorca, Cabrera, Ibiza, and Formentera. In Venice, Italy, famous for its canals, there are also reactions against the influx of tourists. The historic city, unable to handle the increasing crowds, has begun to collect a landing tax from daily visitors. ONLY GOVERNMENTS BENEFITTING In Barcelona, frequent protests with slogans like "Tourists go home" and "This is not tourism, it's an invasion" highlight concerns that uncontrolled tourism is driving up prices in the city, benefiting governments but adversely affecting local residents with increased costs and exorbitant prices. There is criticism that mass tourism worsens rather than improves the situation for local residents. Protesters also point out that mass tourism contributes to environmental and ecological damage.

The bed capacity of the EU tourism sector approached 29 million

The European Statistical Office published 2022 data on the total number of tourism establishments and bed capacities of the Union countries. Accordingly, there are 621 thousand 572 tourist establishments in EU countries and these establishments have a bed capacity of 28 million 903 thousand. Italy is the country with the highest number of tourist establishments and bed capacity. Last year, 224 thousand 644 in Italy, 110 thousand 493 in Croatia, 56 thousand 174 in Spain, 48 thousand 742 in Germany, 30 thousand 221 in Greece, 28 thousand 834 tourist establishments operated in France and 23 thousand 984 in Austria. Bed capacity is 5 million 200 thousand in Italy, 5 million 59 thousand in France, 3 million 771 thousand in Spain, 3 million 611 thousand in Germany, 1 million 408 thousand in the Netherlands, It was recorded as 1 million 279 thousand in Greece, 1 million 127 thousand in Croatia and 1 million 65 thousand in Austria. Italy and France have more than one-third of the total bed capacity of tourist establishments in EU countries.

Tourism Season Starts in Italy with Record Number of Tourists

Various images of tourists in Rome "Ferragosto", the official holiday in Italy where the tourist season is at its peak, started on Tuesday with the participation of a record number of tourists. The Italian tourism sector is recovering from the bottom it fell during the Kovid-19 outbreak. According to media reports, the number of foreign tourists coming to the country this year is expected to exceed the all-time record of 96 million recorded in 2019. On the other hand, statistics showed that more Italians prefer to stay in Italy rather than travel abroad for vacation due to slowing economic growth and high inflation. The latest data from Italy's National Institute of Statistics revealed that the Italian economy contracted by 0.3 percent in the second quarter and prices rose 5.9 percent in July compared to a year ago. Xinhua News Agency reporters reporting from Rome.

Flights resumed after 10 years

The Libyan government has announced that direct flights with Italy have resumed after 10 years. The Libyan government announced in early July that it had lifted the embargo, including the commercial flight ban imposed by the Italian government. As of yesterday, direct flights between the two countries resumed after 10 years. "Italian Airlines, the plane carrying Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dibeybe made a test flight from Rome to Tripoli," the Liby government statement said. FLIGHTS WILL BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER Dibeybe, who held a press conference after the plane arrived in Tripoli, stated that the test flight means that the embargo imposed by the Italian government has been lifted, and announced that commercial flights between Libya and Italy will start in September. In December 2014, the European Commission banned Libyan Airlines planes from passing through the airspace of European Union member states for security reasons.

Turkish Airlines launches direct flights to Palermo, Italy

The first flight numbered TK 1373, which took off from Istanbul at 06.45 in the morning, landed at Palermo Airport at 8.30 am local time. At the ceremony held here, Palermo Airport General Manager Natalie Chieppa and Airport President Salvatore Burrafato welcomed the delegation with flowers, along with Istanbul Airport Civil Administrative Officer İlker Haktankaçmaz and THY General Manager Bilal Ekşi. Speaking at the press conference held after the welcoming of the first plane and a souvenir photo taken, Bilal Ekşi said, "We are pleased to add Palermo, which is our 344th flight destination in the world and 9th in Italy, to our flight network. We aim to strengthen our bond with Italy and offer our guests the privileges of flying with Turkish Airlines." Referring to Turkey's aid to Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ekşi continued as follows: "During the pandemic period, as THY, we did our best to stand by our friendly country Italy. As a result of these efforts, I was awarded the 'Order of Merit of the Italian Republic' on behalf of our company and our employees. I am proud to receive and carry this medal as an indication of the friendship between the two countries. Long live the friendship of Italy and Turkey."

The historical cathedral in Italy carries the traces of Latmos

Drawing attention with its natural landscape and historical texture, Latmos Mountains continues to increase its charm day by day. Traces of Latmos, which enters the route of many citizens every year with its many features, especially prehistoric rock paintings, were seen in the Siena Cathedral in the Tuscany region of Italy. In the ceiling decorations of the cathedral, which was built at the end of the 13th century and is on the World Heritage List, the love between the Goddess Selene and the Shepherd Endymion in Latmos and the mythological story that resulted in Endymion's eternal sleep are told. Drawing attention to the relationship between the cathedral and the Latmos Mountains, the Ecosystem Conservation and Nature Lovers Association (EKODOSD) President Bahattin Sürücü said, "These ornaments depict the most romantic love of the ancient era and are based on a mythological story about the love between the Goddess Selene and the Shepherd Endymion, which resulted in Endymion's eternal sleep. The story takes place in the Latmos Mountains." “This story takes place only in the Latmos Mountains” Stating that there are traces of Latmos in the cathedral, which is visited by millions of tourists every year, EKODOSD President Sürücü said, “The city of Siena is a city in the Tuscany region of Italy, known for its medieval historical and cultural artifacts, visited by millions of tourists. One of the most important buildings of the city is the Siena Cathedral, which was built in the Romanesque and Gothic style at the end of the 13th century. This cathedral in the city, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is famous for its frescoes and paintings. In this historical building, there are priceless works of Pisano, Donatello and Michelangelo, the chief architects of the Renaissance, and paintings by Pinturicchio. More than 1 million people visit this building, which is the symbol of Siena, every year. Inside one of the ceiling decorations of the cathedral is a very important mythological story concerning the Latmos Mountains. The sacred meaning attributed to the fascinating natural landscape of the Latmos Mountains is a unique cultural heritage item that also influenced later cultures. The cultural heritage of the Latmos region has directly or indirectly affected the artistic and literary works, beliefs and traditions of Anatolian and European cultures from the prehistoric period to the present. In this mythological story in the picture, the most romantic love of antiquity is told. The mythological story about the love between the Goddess Selene and the Shepherd Endymion, which resulted in Endymion's eternal sleep, takes place in the Latmos Mountains. The mythological love story between Endymion and Selene has been especially reflected in plastic arts since the Archaic Period. This Mythological story is most often depicted in Roman sarcophagi and the eternal sleep of the pensive young man was considered a symbol of immortality. The motif of Endymion falling into eternal sleep has also been continued in the art of the recent period. One of them is a scene from the ceiling painting of the Painter Pinturicchio, found in the 'Biblioteca Piccolimini' in Siena Cathedral. The scene seen in the Roman Period sarcophagus in this painting, is made in the form of a Renaissance painting. In the sarcophagus, Latmos is personified with the sleeping Endymion in the form of a man sitting on a rock above the cave, while the summit of the mountain forms the background for the encounter of the goddess and the young man. Here, the summit is depicted as a large stone as in medieval sources. This mythological story, which symbolizes the love between the handsome young shepherd Endymion and the Moon Goddess Selene, takes place only in the Beşparmak Mountains and cannot be found anywhere." “We must protect Latmos as a whole” Sürücü said, “Those who want to live this mythological legend today come to this magnificent geography to watch the lights reflecting on Bafa Lake as the full moon comes out from behind the Beşparmak Mountains and to experience that moment. There is the Endymion sanctuary at the entrance of the ancient city of Herakleia, which is intertwined with the village of Kapıkırı. Many finds were unearthed in the excavations carried out in the sanctuary last year under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Zeliha Gider Büyüközer. However, in the holistic geography of Latmos, where all these stories take place, the mining areas are being expanded and this causes an increase in the destructions. If the destructions continue at this rate, not only the mythological stories, but also the culture that has existed since the prehistoric period, the health of the local people, their income, the biological diversity of the region, wildlife, plants, trees, water, in short, the life in these lands will completely end. The destructions in this unique geography should be stopped as soon as possible, and new permits should not be given for mining activities. Projects should be developed to promote this mountain, which is an open-air museum, to the whole world, for the benefit of local people and our country, by ensuring the protection of the mountain as a whole."