Assos to serve at full capacity

ÇANAKKALE – Demirören News Agency

Assos, a tourist hotspot in the Aegean province of Çanakkale’s Ayvacık district that draws holidaymakers in droves every year, is expected to serve at full capacity during the Eid al-Adha holiday, as local officials have said they have taken all precautions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our region is preferred by local and foreign tourists. It will be full in the Festival of Sacrifice,” an Ayvacık Culture, Nature, Tourism and Sports Association official and tourist facility operator, Mehmet Ünal Şahin, said.

Preparations have been completed before the holiday in Assos, located in the Ayvacık district of Çanakkale and famous for its historical texture, architecture, seafood restaurants and blue flag beaches. Approximately 2,000 beds, 50 hotels and pensions in the region are expected to reach 100 percent occupancy rate during Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice.

As reservations continue being made, tourism officials in the resort district said they have ensured all hygiene and social distancing measures are taken.

Assos is one of the rare places where sea, history and culture meet, Behram village head (muhtar) Numan Türkay said.

“We live in a unique and untouched city where the bays are wide and the venues are clean. Due to the coronavirus, all the measures were taken in our accommodation facilities, supported by us personally. We invite people to Assos for a day trip or an accommodated holiday. Currently, we have an occupancy rate of 60-70 percent, which is a little below the normal conditions of our village businesses. We expect our occupancy rate to increase to 100 percent with the measures we take due to the holiday,” he added.

Stating that Assos is one of the places frequented by domestic and foreign tourists, Şahin said, “It will be full during the holiday. The Assos ruins is the fourth most visited historical site in Turkey. This intensity will continue during the Feast of Sacrifice. My advice to visitors is to pay attention to the places where they parked while traveling with their vehicles. They should not block the roads. Then it would be a better holiday. Everyone is waiting for them. People started coming. Occupancy rate will also reach 100 percent.”

Şahin also noted that the accommodation facilities in Assos have taken the necessary measures.

“The facilities, which were closed for a while as part of the measures in the coronavirus process, were cleaned, having paid attention to the hygiene rules. All restaurants and hotels are ready. No COVID-19 case was seen here so far,” he said.