Bozcaada tourism opens to world

ÇANAKKALE - Anadolu Agency

‘The Integration of Bozcaada into International Markets’ project is expected to increase the tourism season on the island to six or seven months. DHA photo

A new project has been initiated to bring tourism to Bozcaada Island in the northern Aegean Sea to an international level. The project, titled “The Integration of Bozcaada into International Markets,” is expected to increase the tourism season on the island to six or seven months.

“The world trend is no longer sea, sun and sand,” said Bozcaada District Administrator Abdulgani Mağ. “Environmentally-friendly, education and history travels are more popular. Our island is suitable for this type of tourism. We think it will meet all demands with its history, unspoiled nature and environment.”

Describing the island in the northern Aegean in the province of Çanakkale as the “pearl of Turkey,” Mağ said 90 percent of tourists coming to the island were local. He said they wanted to host more foreign tourists on the island, particularly in April, May, September and October, which currently experience a lower occupancy rate than the high season.

This expansion in occupancy rates is one of the goals of the latest project, which has been approved by the South Marmara Development Agency (GMKA).

“The occupancy rate is full between June 15 and Sept. 15. Most of the tourists are Turks. But Bozaada is also very beautiful is April, May, September and October. The unspoiled nature and environment mean a lot for foreign tourists. So we are also currently working on a website in English, French and Japanese, along with Turkish,” Mağ said.

He added that they would have a special Bozcaada pavilion alongside the usual Turkish pavilion at the London Fair, which will take place in November.

Vineyard and local tastes

“We are also working on a vineyard road. We will put signboards everywhere for tourists to know about viticulture and the grapes growing on the island. We will organize a workshop with representatives of international travel agencies. We will host them here and introduce them to our island,” Mağ said.

He said that the “Local Tastes Festival,” which is organized every year on Sept. 14, would be organized within the concept of “international local tastes.”

“This is another leg of the project. We invite experienced European chefs and university instructors, and through this Bozcaada will be internationally known. In the last year, Chinese and Japanese tourists in particular have come to the island. We promoted the island in magazines and newspapers in these countries. We plan to expand our overall tourism season to up to seven months with this latest project,” Mağ added.