EUROPEAN TOURISTS TO CLOSE THE GAP IN BODRUM

Europeans will close Bodrum’s tourist gap stemming from the Russian and Ukrainian markets due to the war. 45% of 530,000 tourists who visited Bodrum in 2021 were from the Russian and Ukrainian markets, according to Ahmet Aras, Mayor of Bodrum Municipality. A decrease is expected in their number this year due to the war. “We estimate a significant surge in the number of tourists to visit Bodrum from the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Poland and the Gulf countries, according to hotel and airline reservations. We’ll easily close this gap,” said Aras. Mutual ferry trips have started as of May between Bodrum and the Greek Islands, through which 300,000 tourists will visit Bodrum, while 150 cruises to dock at the Bodrum Cruise Port will bring around 206,000 passengers to the district this year. Moreover, 49 different airlines currently fly to Bodrum, while the district can be reached from 86 destinations in 35 countries through direct flights. “Direct flights will start by the end of the season from Albania, Kuwait, Qatar, Dubai and Russia to Bodrum,” Aras added. Bodrum, among the most important destinations in the world in terms of Return on Investment (ROI), is interested in attracting foreign investors, who have invested around USD 10bn to date. “Real estate, tourism and marine are the sectors that are most attractive to foreign investors in Bodrum,” Aras noted.