Bursa unveils major initiatives to boost tourism sector in Turkey

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Bursa’s Metropolitan Mayor, Alinur Aktaş, has outlined an ambitious plan to elevate the city’s tourism industry by capitalizing on its rich historical and natural assets. The initiatives include developing marinas, enhancing coastal areas, constructing an artificial reef, expanding thermal facilities, creating a rafting track, and developing camping and caravan sites alongside promoting faith tourism routes. These projects are set to reinforce Bursa’s appeal as a diverse travel destination.

Aktaş highlighted the construction of marinas in Mudanya Güzelyalı, Gemlik, and Tirilye to transform Bursa into a significant maritime destination along the Southern Marmara’s 115-kilometer coastline. Efforts to beautify the coastal stretch from Gemlik to Karacabey will involve creating beaches, scenic walkways, and recreational spaces, along with specific projects like the Artificial Reef and Underwater Automobile Museum in Mudanya to foster marine life appreciation and attract diving enthusiasts.

Moreover, Bursa is poised to host Turkey’s largest thermal facility in the Hotsu region, aiming to reaffirm its status as the “Thermal Spring Capital.” This extensive project will encompass a thermal facility, a cure hotel, and a physical therapy center, leveraging the region’s rich thermal water resources.

In addition to these developments, Aktaş announced the formation of a ‘Civil Society Campus’ to streamline the operations of over 5,000 local NGOs, enhancing their contribution to the city’s activities. A ‘Bursa Tourism Coordination Center’ will also be established to manage and direct tourists efficiently, further supported by the promotion of camping tourism with new areas in Uludağ and Çeltik and the introduction of a second rafting track in Keles.

The emphasis on faith tourism aims to utilize Bursa’s cultural and religious heritage, creating new tourism routes that highlight landmarks from Ulucami to Emirsultan and the Green Tomb to Tophane. These efforts underline the city’s strategy to diversify its tourism offerings, ensuring that Bursa’s rich history and natural beauty are accessible and appealing to a broad audience.

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