Halfeti targets to draw 1 mln tourists in new season

A coastal town located in the middle of the southeastern steppe in the province of Şanlıurfa, the Halfeti district welcomes thousands of visitors each year with its mystical historical structure and natural beauties, and now is striving to increase the number of visitors this spring season.

Halfeti, a part of which is flooded by the Birecik Dam built on the Euphrates River, was included in the "slow city" network by Cittaslow International Coordination Committee in 2013 thanks to its calm and peaceful feature and gained a completely different outlook with people getting drawn to visit the place, especially in the spring season.

In the district, dubbed as the "hidden paradise" of southeastern Turkey due to its historic stone houses and natural beauties, tourists take a boat tour to the "sunken city," a part of which is underwater. During these boat tours, tourists get the opportunity to witness the glory of Rumkale Castle, which once hosted many civilizations, even from a distance.

The district's Savaşan village, where the minaret of an underwater mosque and abandoned old buildings are located, is also among the places of interest in the region. Visitors who visit the Grand Mosque, part of which is underwater, also get the opportunity to see the "Karagül" plant, which only grows in Halfeti in the world.

Though the district hosted a small number of tourists last year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it became one of the popular places for visitors, especially on weekends, as it was included in the "low risk" category on the country's COVID-19 risk map.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Halfeti Mayor Şeref Albayrak said that Halfeti has been an important tourism center in the southeast region and reached the highest number of...