In an interview last week with Today’s Zaman, Göksel Bayramlı, a veterinarian at MedikaPet, Muğla’s only animal treatment center, said measures against the uncontrolled sale of pets and an encouragement of adoption could alleviate the suffering of Turkey’s stray animals, which are sometimes allegedly subject to mass poisonings carried out by local authorities. “Municipal councils are the target of accusations of massacres of stray animals in Turkey. Unfortunately, we hear news like this every now and then. What we need to do to solve the problem is to encourage people to adopt dogs from shelters in the Marmaris and Muğla areas. Worse, some veterinarian clinics actually get involved with selling pets to make money,” he said. The hospital itself has adopted Dodo, brought in as a sick puppy by his former owner to be put to sleep. Dodo has a brain disease caused by the overproduction of a particular hormone.

Bayramlı also added that the hospital was working on a project that would enable them to make use of EU funding in order to build a high-quality animal shelter.

The hospital, which is open 24 hours a day, offers fully equipped surgery rooms and a “pet hotel” in the Gökova district. The idea to set up a hospital that would also treat farm animals was born out of the needs of local villagers around Marmaris. MedikaPet, which opened a new branch about a month ago, offers the latest breakthroughs in veterinary science technology to its patients.

Today’s Zaman

Aydın, 53, is especially known as a sailing photographer and his personal archive consists of 50,000 photos of regattas in Istanbul, Marmaris, Bodrum and Göcek. Aydın has photographed the Marmaris International Yacht Regatta for the last three years and opened his exhibition on the Oct. 26.

“The Blue Dream” photography exhibition was dedicated to Mesut Baran, who passed away short time ago. Baran was the editor of the first Turkish sailing magazine “Yelken Dünyası.” The exhibition that includes 60 sea and sailing themed photographs will be open until Nov. 1.

Yalçın Çetin, president of the Marmaris International Yacht Club, or MIYC, who organized the event, said there are 121 sailing boats in competition and racers come from 16 different countries, who are expected to spend approximately $1 million in town.

The 19th International Yacht Festival, sponsored by Koç Allianz Sigorta, Netsel Marina and Marmaris Municipality, started last weekend and will end Friday. MIYC President Çetin said 50 groups will attend the 92 sea mile race with their own yachts and 71 groups are renting boats at 3,000 euros each. This equals 215,000 euros in total. With money spent by the yachters during their stay, the event will mean $1 million in income for Marmaris.

In response, organizers of the safaris have argued more regulations should be applied instead of an outright ban.

Jeep safaris are a well-known attraction in Turkey’s tourism regions, where tourists travel around rural areas in jeeps. They usually visit traditional villages, followed with off-road trips to lakes, mountains and canyons.

The Marmaris Environment Advocates Association, or MEAA’s, chairwoman, Filiz Ersan, told the Anatolia news agency that jeep safaris belonged in the deserts. “Most of the safari organizers do not obey the very basic security rules,” she said. “The water wars are very dangerous; the accident that results in the deaths of two tourists in Augusts in Fethiye proves this.”

Two British citizens, Jonathan Pearce, 38, and his daughter Charley, 8, died in a traffic accident on Aug. 18, when the driver of a safari jeep crashed the car during a water fight with local kids.

Ersan said they have also been receiving complaints from the village heads. “The cars used are very old, they pollute the environment a lot. In addition, as the tourists are allowed to smoke in the cars, they pose a great forest fire threat.”

Ersan said they have sent petitions to Marmaris local administrator’s office and Muğla governor’s office, asking for a ban on jeep safaris. “We do not want jeep safaris in our forests come the next tourism season,” she said.

Officials of the Marmaris Forestry Directorate said the jeeps damaged forest roads and harmed trees with the clouds of dust they create. No forest fire had been caused by smokers in safari jeeps, as yet, the officials noted, adding, however, that the risks were great as the number of people in the forests increased.

‘Regulations needed’

However, a tourism organizer has argued that a ban on jeep safaris is not a solid solution. “We need strict regulations and inspections instead of a ban,” said Şenay Tokmak, a tour organizer in Marmaris.

Tokmak added they were no longer using water guns on their tours due to complaints. “But the unregistered tour organizers use them. We need more regulations.” She also rejected Ersan’s claims that the vehicles were dangerous and that tourists smoked during the safari.

“All the jeeps are inspected by a mechanical engineer from the local administrator’s office, and gets a certificate before being put into service,” Tokmak said. “And since cigarettes can cause forest fires, we do not allow smoking in the jeeps.”

TDN

During the week, which will be organised by the Marmaris Internetional Yacht Club, or MIYC,  there will be various activities other than just races, such as parties and cocktails. The “best dressed team party” will be the most colourful event among the eveining activities.

Yalcin Cetin, head of the MIYC said that they have been organising the races for 19 years and aimed to contribute to yacht tourism in the area. Cetin invited all yachties to Marmaris for both the races and festivities; “We are sure that our prize giving ceremonies and parties will attract you as well as the exciting races.”

You begin to fantasise about your forthcoming holiday to Turkey and wish you were already there… Imagine you are wearing your oldest clothes, scarf tied around your head like a pirate with your sunglasses to the ready.

You set off in convoy, being driven by your “guide”, into the hinterlands of your resort.You drive you could lead through refreshingly cool, tall, green forests or across peninsulas with sea on either side and where nature is only an arm’s length away.You immerse yourself in the stunning views from mountain lookouts and wonder in amazement at the crystal clear blue azure sea and rugged coastline.

Paddle in blissful peace along the shore or douse yourself in a mountain spring or seek out waterfalls to dive into.Experience first hand the hidden secrets of Turkey, witnessing the welcoming waves of playful children along the roadside, as you pass through the sleepy villages and luscious cultivated plains.

Respect the continuous toil of the villagers out in their fields reaping and sowing in their traditional way under the hot summer sun (the ladies in their baggy pantaloons and headscarves)- you can remember this whenever the urge to complain about modern living strikes you!

Think about lunching somewhere traditional and authentic and laughing and joking with your fellow adventure seekers,feeling energised by the simplicity and quality of life and will wonder at the landscape, so raw yet so magnificently striking.Feel the sheer exhilaration of the wind blowing through your hair and the warm sun shining down on you as your convoy heads for home,leaving you with that “outdoor” glow so rarely experienced back home-well, don’t just imagine-try it!

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, saying he would file a lawsuit with the help of CHP District Governor Halil Gökovalı.

Marmaris Municipal Council member and environmentalist Nurcan Dağ brought the matter to light, saying, “If we don’t hurry the machines will start to dig.”

After the council discovered that 52 percent of the district had been licensed for mining research, Muğla’s Republican People’s Party, or CHP, parliament deputy Ali Arslan took action. He brought three different motions before TBMM and asked for a reply from the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Hilmi Güler, the Minister of Environment and Forestry Vesysel Eroğlu and the Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay.

Arlsan visited Marmaris to conduct inspections with the help of Marmaris District Governor Halil Gökovalı and Marmaris Municipal Council member and environmentalist Nurcan Dağ. They traveled to the Adaağzı on the Yalancı Boğaz road, where the Istanbul-based Siltaş will search for resources. They said in this 3,850-hectare area were tourist establishments and hotels. Arslan said the current situation would turn more than half of Marmaris into an area for mining research and was an environmental disaster.

“These licenses were obtained too easily,” he said. “They are trying to turn this city of tourism into a mining city. We will use legal processes to revoke the licenses and we will even file a lawsuit if necessary,” said Arslan.

Dağ called upon NGOs, the municipality and district residents to work together. “If we don’t hurry the machines will start to dig,” he said.

CHP District Governor Halil Gökovalı said they were not against the idea of extracting natural resources.

“This region is one of the world’s few tourism areas. This 3,850-hectare area in the Adaağzı district where the Siltaş company will search for mines has five hotels, five restaurants, hundreds of residents and a very large five-star hotel. The same company will search for mining research in the location of the Marmaris Dam, which provides the district’s drinking water. The İçmeler cemetery, nearly 100 hotels, motels and holiday apartments as well as residences, the Turunç road and a large part of the Asparan are located inside the mining research areas,” said Gökovalı.
TDN

Citing that Marmaris has recently been discovered by Russians, Ukrainians and people from the Baltic countries but is already known to Europeans, Muhammet Ali Acar, the mayor of Marmaris, said it was time to promote the beautiful city to the world.

Acar emphasized that since Marmaris’ infrastructure has been fully developed, they are now considering how to make the city a tourism center for all seasons. The people running the facilities in the city are working hard to improve the standards of the service, he said.

�Everyone is aware that Marmaris, which hosts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, is still not qualified enough to show its real tourism potential,� said Acar. �There are ancient sites and beautiful nature that stand untouched around Marmaris, such as Ephesus, Pamukkale � famous for its travertine, Dalyan � famous for its sea turtles, the ancient city of Kaunos, Sedir Island and Rhodes Island. These places are must-see sites.�

Marmaris also has marinas and bays that house many boats and is also a popular spots for cruises. Marmaris has one of the largest natural harbors in the world. There are people taking yachting classes each year, said Acar.

Yachting is not the only sport in the city; for the adventurous there are possibilities for nature sports as well. �Tourists are also interested in the suburbs around Marmaris; they like going on Safari trips,� emphasized Acar. �Foreigners like the nightlife, and Mediterranean and Turkish restaurants in Marmaris.�

Acar, who grew up in Marmaris working in his family’s hotels, pensions and cafes, noted the municipality’s aim was to improve the quality and increase the variety of services offered in Marmaris.

Problems still exist

Tourism in Marmaris, like other cities on the Turkish Riviera, bloomed after the 1980s. The city had difficulties in controlling the urbanization process and the problems are still apparent today. This situation is not only ongoing in Marmaris, but it can be seen in Bodrum, Kuşadası, Çeşme, Fethiye and Antalya � other popular tourism destinations in Turkey. Problems included the introduction of concrete and unaesthetic structures, which in turn harmed the history and culture of the region, as well as sociological problems caused by rapid migration and a lack of trade management.

Today Marmaris hosts more than 4,000 business enterprises and has nearly 250,000 seats in its restaurants. �In Marmaris we have a 60,000-bed capacity, yet, no matter if the hotels are full, the enterprises, restaurants and shops are still not making a profit,� said Acar.

According to the mayor, the growing population is another threat. Marmaris is struggling to build more buildings for those who migrate to the city. Another problem Marmaris faces is that luxury hotels around Antalya are focusing on all-inclusive programs that do not provide the enticement of not spending any extra money, which has pushed all hotels in Marmaris to lower their prices. �The rise in the bed capacity will continue lowering the hotel prices. The government should put restrictions on the tourism sector,� Acar said.

�We have been revising the city plans and one of the recent inquiries is on how to create more green areas. Our long-term target is to create a modern city, with people aware of the natural beauty, conscious of the needs of tourism,� noted the mayor. �The biggest advertisement is tourists who turn to their countries with a smile on their face and telling their friends about Marmaris.�

There are 5,000 expats living in Marmaris; most are from Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. The foreigners who settle here are mostly retired people wanting to spend the rest of their life in Marmaris. But there are young foreign people who especially prefer working in the yachting sector.

�With the new regulations on property sales there was a rise in the number of foreigners buying houses,� said Acar, who added, �Properties were sold to foreigners before the recent regulations but they had to wait too long to own the houses.� Citing that the laws in Turkey are different from those in foreign countries, Acar emphasized they were having hard time understanding the regulations in Turkey, which brings forward the fact that Turkey needs to have a proper and secure property sector.

ASLI SAĞLAM
MARMARİS – Turkish Daily News