Tourism at edge of Konya sinkhole draws visitors

KONYA

The rapidly increasing number of sinkholes in the country's interior regions has unveiled a new frontier for tourism in Türkiye, spearheaded by a hotel situated at the perilous depths of one such colossal void, drawing both domestic and international visitors.

A caravanserai — Turkish historical roadside inns built to accommodate traders along ancient trade routes — erected 800 years ago has now found itself precariously perched on the edge of an ever-expanding sinkhole in the central Anatolian province of Konya.

The structure, located in Konya's Karatay district beside the Kızören sinkhole, has been meticulously transformed into a museum-hotel following a three-year restoration.

Furnished with historical artifacts, from kitchenware to tables and chairs, each room boasts underfloor-heated Turkish baths.

This establishment, which showcases historical artifacts and relics gathered from the surrounding area, offers guests a breathtaking view of the Kızören Sinkhole, measuring 180 meters in diameter and plunging 145 meters in depth.

Opened merely two months ago, the hotel has already exceeded expectations, attracting far “more visitors than anticipated” to this dangerous tourism destination.

"We've received demand far beyond our projections. Both domestic and international tourists are flocking to us. We're a museum-hotel with 13 rooms, and they come specifically for the sinkhole view, which always comes as a surprise to them," stated hotel manager Mehmet Demircioğlu.

"One of the most distinctive aspects of this place is its seclusion — far removed from the city, with nothing but the sinkhole around. Visitors first encounter tranquility here, then they immerse themselves in history."

The manager added that, in addition to local and European tourists, there has been considerable interest from Russia and East Asian countries, with a surge in demand since July.

Together with the museum, the site attracts approximately 600-700 daily visitors, drawn by the unique sinkhole vista.

This hotel, erected on the precipice of such a hazardous formation, is the first of its kind, setting a precedent for repurposing these geological phenomena in novel ways.

Tourism representatives have remarked that should safety concerns be adequately addressed, other sinkholes could potentially be transformed into similar ventures.

Sinkholes have existed for centuries in Konya, a vast agricultural province known as Türkiye’s breadbasket, but their numbers have risen in recent years due to increasing drought and subsequent overuse of groundwater for irrigation, according to experts.

Many sinkholes are dizzyingly deep, plunging up to 50 meters (165 feet).

"One of the major factors with sinkholes is climate change," said Arif Delikan, an associate professor of Konya Technical University, who has counted 640 sinkholes in Konya, with more than 600 of them in the Karapınar district alone.

He and the country’s disaster agency identified more than 2,700 surface deformations and non-seismic fractures, which indicate a sinkhole risk and need to be investigated.