‘Blue Roads’ identified in Black Sea for diving tourism

ORDU

Within the scope of the “Ordu to Hopa Blue Road Project” carried out in five provinces in the Eastern Black Sea region, 43 points suitable for diving tourism have been determined.

The Eastern Black Sea Development Agency (DOKA) launched the “Ordu to Hopa Blue Road Project” in order to spread diving tourism in the northern cities of Ordu, Giresun, Trabzon, Rize and Artvin.

Within the scope of the project carried out under the leadership of academic Mehmet Aydın from Ordu University’s Marine Sciences Faculty, research was carried out in the marine area between the Ünye district of Ordu and Artvin’s Hopa district.

Some 43 points suitable for diving tourism were determined in the Eastern Black Sea Region, while marine life and biodiversity that can be encountered underwater during the studies were also brought to light.

With the data obtained at the end of the study, the diving routes were put together in a catalog.

The catalog will be transferred to the online platform in the following processes and will be offered to the service of those who want to dive in the Eastern Black Sea.

Providing information regarding the study, Aydın stated that they determined 16 diving routes in Ordu, 19 in Giresun, seven in Trabzon and one in Artvin.

During the 2.5 years of work, the team determined the biodiversity by taking photos and videos and implemented a quite successful tourism project with which people who dive can see what they face in the region.

“We have brought an alternative dimension to tourism,” he said.

The most suitable area for diving tourism in the Black Sea is Ordu, Aydın pointed out, saying, “We have determined that Fatsa, Yalıköy and Perşembe districst of Ordu befit with the diving tourism.”

“Due to the fact that the region receives a lot of precipitation, erosion is quite high. For this reason, suspended matter comes with surface waters, rivers and streams. Therefore, there are not many places in the Black Sea that can make diving enjoyable. Ordu is a much better field in this context,” Aydın expressed.

If the authorities aim to develop diving tourism in the Black Sea, they definitely should consider Ordu, he said.

“If necessary, they can enrich the underwater by placing different structures there in order to make diving in the region more attractive,” Aydın expressed.