Bodrum beaches prepared for upcoming season

MUĞLA

Municipal teams have orchestrated efforts to diligently prepare over 80 public beaches in Türkiye’s tourism hub Bodrum for the upcoming season, bracing for the imminent influx of visitors.

The beach unit teams, tasked with accentuating its tourism allure, expended considerable effort in readying the public beaches for the season, conducting meticulous inspections and setting the ambiance with meticulous umbrella arrangements as part of their summer preparations.

As part of these endeavors, umbrella installations have been completed at key public beaches like Gerenkuyu, Paşatarlası, Gümbet, Bitez, Küçükbük, Gündoğan and Turgutreis Sunset, boasting a grand total of 686 umbrellas placed across Bodrum in the southwestern province of Muğla.

Beyond mere umbrella installations, beach leveling, shower, sink and changing cabin refurbishments were also completed. Notably, the teams also catered to the needs of disabled and disadvantaged individuals by thoughtfully organizing walking paths and swimming lanes. Moreover, the imminent start of the season will be heralded as buoys are ceremoniously withdrawn come June 1.

In the midst of these preparations, a local hotelier has observed a shift in the arrival patterns of both domestic and international tourists, projecting a notable delay of one month, with expectations of a substantial surge during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday in June.

Undeterred, tourism stakeholders maintain an optimistic outlook, underscoring the necessity for the industry's resilience.

"We remain perennial optimists. This year is poised to exhibit a slightly heightened activity compared to the preceding one," hotelier Bülent Kaya said.

He said that the onset of activity typically follows the closure of schools, with a palpable buzz anticipated to commence around mid-June, preceded by intermittent stirrings.

Reflecting on bygone eras, when the tourism season spanned from April to October, Kaya acknowledged the gradual contraction, attributing it to financial challenges, weather conditions and relations with foreign countries. While there has been a downturn in foreign tourist arrivals, tourism representatives harbor hope for a resurgence through renewed agreements and strategic adjustments, he said.

Elsewhere, in another tourist enclave, Konyaaltı Beach in the southern province of Antalya has seen a surge of visitors seeking solace in the sea amid a week-long spell of scorching temperatures.