After inspecting the ancient cities of Olympos and Phaselis, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that a visitor management plan will be prepared to better protect the historical heritage, and the plan will be implemented soon.
More than 10,000 visitors on some days
Highlighting that the Phaselis Ancient City has been included in the 'Legacy for the Future Project' to extend tourism to 12 months, Ersoy said, “We have increased excavation activities in the region. Of course, Phaselis has its own unique characteristics. Excavation and visits happen simultaneously, which brings some challenges, especially on holidays or busy weekends. On some days, there are more than 10,000 visitors.”
Parking areas to be moved outside the ancient city
Minister Ersoy pointed out that some areas in the ancient city have been turned into parking lots and announced the preparation of a visitor management plan within the framework of cultural heritage management. Ersoy said, “We will now create parking areas a bit further outside and prevent vehicles from coming so close to the ancient city. This area will be made suitable only for pedestrian traffic. In previous years, we created small points with shower facilities, toilets, and changing cabins for visitors in the Bostanlık and Alacasu bays. The aim was to divert the density from here to the adjacent bays, so sea needs are met not within the archaeological site but in the nearby bays. This way, citizens can enjoy the sea without compromising, and our archaeology team can continue their work. It is a project conducted together,” he added.