Turkey’s hotels full during nine-day holiday

ISTANBUL

Occupancy rates of hotels along the Turkish coasts have hit 100 percent over the nine-day Eid al-Adha or “Feast of Sacrifice” holiday in Turkey, which began on Aug. 18 and will continue until Aug. 27. 

Even small hotels in İzmir’s popular tourism resort town of Çeşme are full, according to the founding member of the Alaçatı Tourism Association. He said the number of small hotels in the district have reached nearly 500 and all of them are full.

Holidaygoers in the western province of Muğla’s Marmaris have filled coasts, water parks and hotel pools. According to the Marmaris Police Department, 7,000 vehicles arrived in the district within six hours.

Pamukkale, which is world-known in the western Denizli province for its white travertines, has also received its share of visitors during the long holiday.

“Hotels in Pamukkale and Karahayıt districts are 100 percent full,” said Denizli Touristic Hoteliers Chair Gazi Murat Şen.

Occupancy rates in the southern province of Antalya’s resort town of Alanya have hit 100 percent, officials said.

Many hotels have recently stopped sales activities, as all their rooms have sold out due to strong demand, Alanya Tourism Association Chair Burhan Sili said on Aug. 11.

Those who want to spend their holiday in the Saros Gulf rushed to Erikli, Enez, Mecidiye, Danişment, Yayla, Sultaniçe and Gökçetepe, located along a 75-kilometer-long coastline.

Edirne Culture and Tourism Director Ahmet Hacıoğlu said all hotels, hostels and houses for rent have a 100 percent occupancy rate over the holiday.

“The Edirne province has a nearly 76-kilometer-long coast in the Saros Gulf. Thousands of people come to Saros for diving. At the same time, villages along the Saros coastline are very important in terms of agrotourism,” he said.

In the meantime, the Kırklareli and Tekirdağ coasts in northwestern Turkey host lots of guests during this holiday.

Blue-flagged beaches are very popular in particular among tourists visiting the region.