Kuşadası

Two new areas boasting the natural growth of the endemic plant species "Tülüşah," which faces the threat of extinction, have been discovered in the Kuşadası district of Türkiye's western Aydın province, prompting conservation efforts.

Excavations at Claros Sanctuary have been the longest-running excavations ongoing under Ege University's Archaeology Department, says excavation head Associate Professor Onur Zunal, while shedding light on how Claros emerged as a prophecy center in the past.

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has announced the decision to expand the "Night Museums" project to illuminate archaeological sites close to tourism hotspots in Türkiye to bolster tourism.

Turkish ports saw a record number of cruise ships and passengers last year, with the number of cruise ship passengers surpassing 1.5 million, according to the statistics shared by the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry.

The ancient city of Ephesus in the western province of İzmir, which sees an influx of tourists every year, welcomed approximately 2.2 million people in 2023, according to the data of the Ephesus Archaeological Museum.

The occupancy rate at hotels in some resort towns in the Aegean region has hit nearly 100 percent thanks to the New Year holiday.

The 3-day holiday lured people to go on vacation, said Mehmet İşler, the president of the Aegean Touristic Enterprises and Accommodations Association (ETİK).

According to Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, the number of cruise ships and passengers that visited Türkiye has reached a record level in 2023.

Uraloğlu evaluated the statistics announced by the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs on the number of cruise ships and passengers anchored in Turkish ports.

Tensions flared in the Aegean Sea late on Oct. 30 when Greek coast guard units clashed with Turkish fishermen after their boats were allegedly dragged into Greek territorial waters by strong currents.

Some 420 cruise ships have visited Türkiye's ports in the first six months of 2023, according to data from the directorate general of maritime affairs.

The number of cruise passengers, including arriving, departing and transit travelers, climbed from 256,000 from January-June 2022 to 483,000 in the same period this year.

Turkish authorities have detained 28 suspects, including five public officials, for allegedly accepting bribes from beekeepers and farmers seeking permission to drill boreholes in the western province of Aydın.