As the Chairperson of the CHP Istanbul Provincial Directorate’s Culture and Tourism Commission, we attended the panel themed “Is 365 Days Bodrum Possible?” organized by Türkiye’de İş Dünyası magazine under the İhlas Media Group, as part of the 2nd Bodrum Economic Summit.
The program, moderated by Celal Toprak, the Editor-in-Chief of Türkiye’de İş Dünyası magazine, was held at Sianji Well Being Resort Bodrum. The summit was attended by Bodrum District Governor Ali Sırmalı, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General Ali Zağlı, Bodrum Deputy Mayor Ahmet Yıldızhan, Bodrum Chamber of Shipping President Orhan Dinç, Bodrum District Sports Director Oktay Dumruk, İhlas Media Group President Aslıhan Ören, Sianji Well Being Resort owner Recai Çakır, and other prominent representatives of the region’s tourism sector.
The opinions expressed during the panel, along with our own observations, revealed the following: The goal of year-round tourism is certainly a shared aspiration. However, to be realistic, we must first strengthen the infrastructure needed to make the most of the 3-month summer season. Without meeting essential needs such as improving roads, making permanent investments in electricity and water infrastructure, and facilitating transportation, it will be difficult to sustain tourism all year round.
One of the biggest obstacles to 12-month tourism is that the region turns into a construction site during the winter months. With a young and energetic mayor, Bodrum can currently only sustain tourism for 4–5 months at best, due to limited government support. This makes the efforts and vision of local administrations all the more valuable.
In our opinion, the primary goal should be to make the current season flawless. Afterwards, with proper planning and investment, it will be possible to gradually extend the tourism period. For this purpose:
- Organizing festivals for the region’s local fruit, the mandarin, and using these festivals for national and international promotion
- Promoting cultural heritage; especially restoring the historic windmill located on the mountain road by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to bring it into tourism
- Installing systems on rooftops to collect and reuse rainwater, especially to protect water resources, and encouraging this practice
- Hosting more tourism fairs and major meetings in Bodrum
- Spreading sports, culture, and gastronomy events throughout the year
- Integrating local production and handicrafts with tourism
- Supporting alternative tourism models such as health, nature, and conference tourism
Projects should be developed regarding the cultural heritage in Bodrum, and our Ministry of Culture and Tourism should work on this matter.
We believe in Bodrum’s tourism potential and wholeheartedly support our mayor’s projects. With the right steps and collective wisdom, Bodrum can become a tourism city that breathes every day of the year, not just in summer. However, the path to this goal lies first in perfecting the short season and ensuring a solid infrastructure.
