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Stunning underground cistern in Istanbul attracts tens of thousands daily.

It may look like an ancient palace or a place of worship, but this striking structure had a more practical function: storing water. Located 20 meters (65 ft.) beneath the surface, this expansive chamber is a remnant of earlier civilizations. Known as the Basilica Cistern, it was originally constructed during the Byzantine Empire and was later revamped by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. This 10,000 sq. meter (105,000 sq. ft.) subterranean network of columns was used to hold water that supported not only the Byzantine Imperial Palace but the entire city of Constantinople. After the city's conquest by the Ottomans in 1453, the cistern continued to serve the new rulers in the expanding city of Istanbul. Alongside the Hagia Sophia, situated just 150 meters (500 ft.) away, it is one of Istanbul’s top tourist destinations today. Since its reopening in July 2022 following a major renovation, the cistern attracts between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors daily, according to the Istanbul Greater Metropolitan Municipality’s Department of Cultural Assets Conservation. A notable feature is the Crying Column, named for its seemingly wetter appearance and teardrop-shaped patterns. The cistern also functions as an art gallery, allowing artists to display their work among the 9-meter (30 ft.) columns. Visitors navigate the space via a metal grate path just a few feet above the water below. Occasionally, they are reminded of the cistern's ancient purpose by droplets of water falling from condensation. "I just can’t believe that those many years ago they had this much knowledge to build something like this and make it watertight and find the resources," says Tracey Vincent, a visitor from New Zealand, as she explores the structure. More than 300 Ionic, Corinthian, and Doric columns support the domed ceiling of the underground reservoir. Many of these columns were repurposed from older structures across the empire, giving the cistern its distinctive eclectic character that blends Byzantine and Roman architectural styles. "Although we say that the Basilica Cistern dates back to the 6th century, it is a sophisticated structure that incorporates repurposed elements from as early as the 4th century," explains Oktay Ozel, Head of Istanbul Greater Metropolitan Municipality’s Department of Cultural Assets Conservation. Among the most remarkable features are the two Medusa heads, a Greek mythological figure often depicted with snakes for hair. Legend has it she could petrify people merely by looking at them. It remains a mystery, but some theories suggest the Medusa heads were strategically placed to neutralize her petrifying power. Local authorities are clearly very proud of the Basilica Cistern, not only because it attracts large numbers of tourists. "The Basilica Cistern is naturally a symbolic landmark for Istanbul," says Ozel. "It’s a unique historical site that is the jewel of our city’s tourism."

Joint tourist routes between Bulgaria and Türkiye on the agenda

Speaking at the opening of the tourism forum “Bulgaria - discover and share” in Istanbul, which aimed at discussing the possibilities of interaction between the Bulgarian and Turkish tourism product, Minister of Tourism Evtim Miloshev expressed the belief that there is significant potential for further increasing the exchange of tourists between the two countries. The winter tourism routes in Bulgaria, including Bansko, are well known in Türkiye, Minister Miloshev said, adding that the total number of Turkish tourists visiting Bulgaria between December 1, 2023 and March 25, 2024 is 53,000. “It is in the interests of both countries to create common tourist routes based on common history, culture and culinary traditions,” said the Bulgarian Tourism Minister, who emphasized the need to create a common tourism product between Türkiye and Bulgaria during a meeting with representatives of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies. Preparations are underway to organize a tour of Borovets, Bansko and Pamporovo for tourism operators, travel agencies and media outlets from Türkiye before the start of the winter season, with the aim of promoting winter and SPA tourism opportunities in our country. Tourism Minister Miloshev met with representatives of the Turkish Airlines Company to discuss the possibilities of attracting more Turkish tourists to Bulgaria from Türkiye and destinations such as China and Japan. Turkish Airlines expressed their readiness to advertise Bulgaria as part of the joint tourism product with Türkiye.

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.”

Denizli took action to become a tourism city

Hayati ARIGAN Denizli Metropolitan Municipality held a search conference (a participatory planning methodology aiming to create a common mind) under the name of ‘Denizli Designs Its Future’ on 10-11 September. Professional teams of experts in their fields came together with sector representatives and business people of the city and discussed the tourism sector. A top policy document was developed for Denizli to become a tourism and brand city. In the search conference, the prioritised targets are planned to be projected and implemented respectively. 250 million extra income target from 2.5 million tourists Mayor of Denizli Metropolitan Municipality said, ‘We have nearly 30 ancient cities such as Hierapolis, Laodikeia, Tripolis, Herakleia, Attuda and Colossae, 21 ruins, more than 20 mounds and 4 museums. We are almost the only city in Türkiye with this richness. We aim for this historical richness to contribute more to the city. With the steps we will take in tourism, we want to increase the number of tourists coming to the city and the tourism income generated by the city. If we can ensure that the 2.5 million tourists coming to our city annually stay 1 extra night, we can generate extra tourism income from 100 euro per person to 250 million euro.’ We will bring Pamukkale to Denizli Stating that Pamukkale, which is the biggest value of Türkiye and the world, does not belong to Denizli, Çavuşoğlu said, ‘There is a situation that one of the most important values of Denizli does not belong to Denizli. Pamukkale travertines are under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and only 5 per cent of its income comes to Denizli. We are talking about Pamukkale, whose archaeological sites are also rented out on a lease basis. You will make every effort to bring Pamukkale back to Denizli. In 2025, the Pamukkale archaeological site rental period ends. We will do our best to get it. If Pamukkale becomes our city, our road map will progress faster in this journey.’ Most tourists are from the Far East Mayor Bülent Nuri Çavuşoğlu said, ‘The number of foreign tourists is higher. The countries that visit the city the most are South Korea, China, Italy, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, USA, Brazil, Spain and Japan. Our main target in terms of foreign tourists is the Far East and European countries.’ Stating that the most preferred regions in the city are the ancient cities of Hierapolis and Laodikeia, Çavuşoğlu said, ‘In 2023, 2 million 190 thousand 218 people visited Hierapolis, 117 thousand 586 people visited Laodikeia, and 28 thousand 11 people visited Atatürk House and Ethnography Museum. By the end of 2024, we foresee that these numbers will increase.’ Women are in the first place in the work rate In the sectoral distribution of Denizli’s industrial enterprises, 6 sectors are at the forefront. These are textile and apparel, electrolytic copper wire and cable, iron-steel and metal goods, natural stone, machinery manufacturing, food-beverage and winemaking. Denizli produces 2 out of every 3 towels and bathrobes and 1 out of every 2 sheets and duvet covers that Türkiye exports. Cable and copper wire manufacturers realise one third of Denizli's exports. The share of iron and steel products in exports is 14 per cent. The second largest natural stone basin of our country is in Denizli. The natural stone sector, which has a share of 6 per cent in Denizli's exports, exports approximately 280 million dollars every year and ranks first in the country in the export of processed natural stone with its production and export capacity. Tourism will be an additional wagon for industry Stating that there are 8 5-star, 8 4-star, 4 3-star, 4 3-star and 6 boutique hotels in the city, Çavuşoğlu said that investments will increase as the number of tourists increases. Çavuşoğlu continued his words as follows: ‘Denizli Metropolitan Municipality provides and will continue to provide all kinds of support to investors in terms of zoning. With the tourism workshop after the search conference, project studies with the prominent cities of the Aegean and Mediterranean Region in tourism are aimed. Stakeholder meetings will also be held for the VisitDenizli project, which constitutes the theme of the search conference. A road map will be drawn with the infrastructure and promotional activities that will increase the brand value of the city and the outputs of the search conference. National and international festivals, activities to ensure the city's tourism diversity and sustainability, congresses, alternative tourism routes are some of the targeted activities. We will do our best to highlight the beauties of other districts, especially Çal and Buldan.’

#Tourism News

Stunning underground cistern in Istanbul attracts tens of thousands daily.

Joint tourist routes between Bulgaria and Türkiye on the agenda

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

Denizli took action to become a tourism city