Welcome to our pick of last week’s news from Fethiye and around Türkiye.
Curated from various news sources.
NEWS
Paraglider pilot injured after falling on rocks in Fethiye
A paraglider pilot was injured when he fell on the rocks in Fethiye district of Muğla.
Utku Denizatay (24), who paraglided from the 1200-meter-high runway of Babadağ in Ölüdeniz District, fell on the rocks shortly after.
Upon notice, the Gendarmerie Search and Rescue team and National Medical Rescue teams were dispatched to the region.
Denizatay, was given first aid by the teams and transferred to Fethiye State Hospital where he was treated for fractures.
Bodrum beaches prepared for upcoming season
Municipal teams have orchestrated efforts to diligently prepare over 80 public beaches in Türkiye’s tourism hub Bodrum for the upcoming season, bracing for the imminent influx of visitors.
The beach unit teams, tasked with accentuating its tourism allure, expended considerable effort in readying the public beaches for the season, conducting meticulous inspections and setting the ambiance with meticulous umbrella arrangements as part of their summer preparations.
As part of these endeavors, umbrella installations have been completed at key public beaches like Gerenkuyu, Paşatarlası, Gümbet, Bitez, Küçükbük, Gündoğan and Turgutreis Sunset, boasting a grand total of 686 umbrellas placed across Bodrum in the southwestern province of Muğla.
Beyond mere umbrella installations, beach leveling, shower, sink and changing cabin refurbishments were also completed. Notably, the teams also catered to the needs of disabled and disadvantaged individuals by thoughtfully organizing walking paths and swimming lanes. Moreover, the imminent start of the season will be heralded as buoys are ceremoniously withdrawn come June 1.
In the midst of these preparations, a local hotelier has observed a shift in the arrival patterns of both domestic and international tourists, projecting a notable delay of one month, with expectations of a substantial surge during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday in June.
Undeterred, tourism stakeholders maintain an optimistic outlook, underscoring the necessity for the industry’s resilience.
“We remain perennial optimists. This year is poised to exhibit a slightly heightened activity compared to the preceding one,” hotelier Bülent Kaya said.
He said that the onset of activity typically follows the closure of schools, with a palpable buzz anticipated to commence around mid-June, preceded by intermittent stirrings.
Reflecting on bygone eras, when the tourism season spanned from April to October, Kaya acknowledged the gradual contraction, attributing it to financial challenges, weather conditions and relations with foreign countries. While there has been a downturn in foreign tourist arrivals, tourism representatives harbor hope for a resurgence through renewed agreements and strategic adjustments, he said.
Elsewhere, in another tourist enclave, Konyaaltı Beach in the southern province of Antalya has seen a surge of visitors seeking solace in the sea amid a week-long spell of scorching temperatures.
Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Historic bath set to turn into gastronomy gallery
A historic bathhouse in the Sur district of the eastern province of Diyarbakır, known as Çardaklı Hamam, which was constructed between 1520 and 1540, is set to be transformed into a ‘gastronomy gallery,’ showcasing traditional foods following its restoration.
Cemil Koç, Director of Diyarbakır Monuments and Museums, stated that the aim is to adapt the hammam to modern needs and the surrounding urban environment by giving it a culinary function. Koç expressed, “Within the Sur district, written sources reveal the existence of 20 hammams. Of these, only seven continue to exist today. Among the most significant of these is the Çardaklı Hamam.
Regarding its design, Koç added, “The hammam has a star-shaped plan and fully reflects the entire Ottoman bath culture and architectural features. It includes architectural sections for cold, warm, temperate, hell and furnace areas. The Çardaklı Hamam, which reflects the complete architectural features of the Ottoman bath culture, including sections for cold, warm and hot treatments and a furnace area, has been a vital part of Diyarbakır’s history.”
Koç also emphasized that the interior lighting of the hammam is typically through dome and vault ‘elephant eyes,’ with 310 such openings ensuring natural light.
Following the structural damage due to terror-related incidents in 2015 and last year’s earthquakes on Feb. 6, urgent restoration efforts were initiated for the hammam. The Culture and Tourism Ministry has prioritized the restoration within its investment program, starting in July 2023. The restoration is expected to be completed by October if no further issues arise.
Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Housing prices soar in earthquake-hit provinces
Turkish citizens rebuilding their lives after the devastating Feb. 6 earthquakes have faced the serious problem of rising housing costs.
A survey by Endeksa, a real estate valuation platform, reveals that house prices and rents in earthquake-affected provinces are rising faster than the national average.
The earthquake significantly reduced the available housing supply in the region, while displaced residents migrated to nearby provinces, further tightening the market. Endeksa’s report shows that while house prices across Türkiye increased by 57 percent between March 2023 and March 2024, seven of the 11 earthquake-affected provinces saw even steeper increases.
Southern provinces Hatay and Kilis witnessed a staggering 84 percent annual spike, with Elazığ following closely at 75 percent. The average price per square meter in these 11 provinces currently ranges from 13,000 to 19,000 Turkish Lira, with average home prices hovering between 1.8 and 3 million liras.
The rent increase in March was 61 percent. Among the provinces affected by the earthquake, annual rent increases were 224 percent in Elazığ, 154 percent in Şanlıurfa, and 144 percent in Kilis and Osmaniye. In the 11 provinces, average rental prices vary between 9,500 and 14,000 liras.
Türkiye’s major cities – Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir – also experienced significant rent increases. Annual rent hikes reached 58 percent in Istanbul, 81 percent in the capital Ankara and a staggering 84 percent in the western province of İzmir.
Following the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes that claimed the lives of more than 53,000 people and caused massive destruction in several regions, the 11 southern provinces were previously declared disaster zones.
Source: Hürriyet Daily News
White dust devil winds through Türkiye
A tall dust devil was captured in Turkey’s eastern Agri province on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. It did not cause any damage or injuries. (Footage by AA/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Source: Accu Weather
Türkiye’s annual inflation at 69.8% in April
Türkiye’s annual inflation rate was 69.8% in April, up from 68.5% in March and 43.68% in the fourth month of last year, official figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) showed on Friday.
The monthly inflation rate was 3.18%, up from 3.16% the previous month.
On a yearly basis, highest price hikes were seen in education (103.86%), restaurants and hotels (95.82%), and transportation (89.39%).
Clothing and footwear posted the lowest price increase with 51.2%, followed by telecommunications 55.4%, and housing 55.55%.
On a monthly basis, highest increase was seen in tobacco and alcoholic beverage with 9.56%, and lowest in health with 1.03%.
Source: Anadolu Agency
SPORT
Fethiyespor
Thank you to Brian Lloyd for the Fethiyespor update.
Fethiyespor hosted a farewell dinner for the league. President Mr. Esat Bakırcı, along with managers and technical team, attended the occasion. Following the dinner, the team departed for Erzincan for the league’s final match.
Match Results
Fethiyespor lost their away match against Etimesgut Belediye Spor on Saturday. The final score was 2-1. This was the final gane of the season.
Fethiyespor end the season at 10th position on the league table.
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Turkish Lira (TL) exchange rates
The British Pound bought 40.59 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 40.59 TL.
The US Dollar bought 32.34 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 32.50 TL.
The Euro bought 34.83 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 34.76 TL.
Source: exchangerates.org.uk
Weather Forecast
Here’s your weather forecast for the week ahead.
Source: Living Earth
