Marinas in Turkey

The concession process for some of the country's marinas is speeding up

At the same time, two business schemes - the subsidiary of Lamda Development, Lamda Marinas Investment, and CVC Capital's D-Marinas Hellas - have emerged as key players, controlling an increasing number of marinas, while other powerful groups are now claiming a share.

Bodrum's marina is facing threat of "becoming like the Marmara Sea," experts are warning, saying boats are dumping bilge water into the sea near the port causing pollution.

People in droves have thronged to the famous resort town of Bodrum in the southwestern province of Muğla on the Aegean coast during the long Eid al-Adha holiday, causing traffic jams on the roads.

With yacht owners racing for a good spot to anchor their vessels in surrounding bays during their stay, the town's shoreline has become overcrowded as well.

Bodrum, one of the favorite holiday centers of Turkey's Aegean coasts, has become a frequent destination for million-dollar luxury yachts again this year. (AA Photo)

Bodrum, Turkey's tourism hotspot in the Aegean coasts, which has become a destination for million-dollar luxury yachts over the last decade, has welcomed its first superyacht of the year docked in Yalıkavak Marina on the north of the Bodrum Peninsula.

With the Marshall Islands flag on it, "Khalilah," the 48-meter-long superyacht, belongs to Russian oil baron Alexei Golubovich.

An important meeting was held at Istanbul's Ataköy Marina on Aug. 25. It was a benchmark in the history of Turkish amateur seamanship. Among the participants were Faruk Okuyucu from the Chamber of Shipping, Cemalettin Selvi and Oktay Kılıç from the ministry and doyens of amateur shipping Tanıl Tuncel and Teoman Arsay.

Even a total newcomer driving through the coastal road that runs through the heart of the İzmir to the resort town of Çeşme would be able to guess that sails were one of the symbols of the city. Right before the city's main square stands a modern, linear statue that symbolizes a sailboat.

Turkey, which hosts nearly 40 million tourists annually, has ranked second in the number of blue-flagged beach, an international label awarded to beaches which meet a high standard in multiple categories, including cleanliness. 

According to information by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Turkey has increased the number of its blue flag beaches every year.   

A 140,000-meter square manmade peninsula as large as ten football stadiums has plans to be constructed as a shoreline extension of Istanbul's Ataköy neighborhood, which  has ran out of space for new buildings.

Throughout its long history, Bodrum was known as Petrius, after Saint Petrus; its name was only changed to Bodrum after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.