‘Bodrum’s transformation to get support from Russians’

Once the champion of sun, sea and sand holiday concept in Turkey and the most favorite resort of British tourists, Bodrum has now entered a new path to diversify tourism activities and attract visitors from the crème de la crème of the globe, according to the town's mayor and tourism professionals.The efforts to bolster up Bodrum's tourism hotspot status with new works in areas of archeology, gastronomy, arts and sports will be boosted by a multimillion-dollar investment by Russians, Bodrum Mayor Ahmet Aras told Hürriyet Daily News.

"We have attached high importance to social, sports, culture and health investments in recent years," he said.

After a couple of decades in which Bodrum saw a mass tourism development based on beach and nightlife facilities, the resort town now is shifting "to basics" with cultural activities and organic farming, according to the mayor's remarks.

"We define Bodrum as the address of happiness for 3,500 years. You can find entertainment activities round the clock here," he added, pointing to the town's high popularity in the United Kingdom and other European countries as an accredited green destination with turquoise coves.

He also said that the number of new archeological excavations to unearth ancient Carian sites, as well as arts festivals and sports events were rising in Bodrum despite the coronavirus pandemic. The restoration of the Bodrum Castle, founded by the Knights of St. John in the 15th century, will be completed until mid-May, he said.

Following a visit of a delegation led by Ahmet Palankoyev, the head of the Russia-Turkey Business Council, last year, a construction project for a sports and congress center has started, Aras said.

"It will be a multifunctional facility with a congress...

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