Kayakoy Landscape 1
10″ x 8″, Acrylic on card

On his recent visit to Fethiye, Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ertuğrul Günay, said that work on a project to reinvent Kayaköy was in progress, and added, “….we have been endeavouring to remake Kayaköy as an additional feature for the affluent Turkish culture and tourism market. A tourism establishment of 300 beds will be constructed and the historical public buildings will be restored, whereby Kayaköy will become a destination for cultural tourism….we shall be asking for bids over the forthcoming weekend, however we must first look for an investor.”  He added, “Kayaköy has been a desolate area since the population exchange with most significant natural and historical treasures. It is a very special destination point…..Kayaköy will become one of the most significant tourism centres in Turkey and will enrich the the potential of S.W. Turkey, especially Fethiye…..We certainly do not intend to have all the buildings restored to become tourism facilities. It will be a historical site to be visited on a large scale.”

From a prominent politician, these are interesting and worrying statements indeed. Where will these developments lead? Is this the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end? You may draw your own conclusions.

My thanks to the Land of Lights where the full story can be seen in this week issue.