The tranquil resort of Akbuk offers total relaxation, or plenty of entertainment if that's want you are looking for

 The golden, sandy bay is long and wide, offering a good variety of restaurants and bars along the waterfront.

 A weekly market and shops are stocked with a colourful array of fresh produce, local arts and crafts and the latest fashions.

"Muslim for a Month" and "Sikh for a week"

 People usually think of religion in terms of a lifetime of commitment, but could you learn anything from trying one out for a month?

Travel companies have been ordered to end the use of hidden surcharges for passengers paying by card

Turkish Airlines has been named the winner of three distinguished awards by Skytrax, according to the results of the 2011 evaluation: "Best Airline in Europe"

Turkey tourist numbers rose 31% on the year in April to 2.29 million, the Culture and Tourism Ministry announced today

Despite the recession, Brits are still making a huge effort with their appearance in time for summer, sometimes spending more money on looking good than on their holidays, according to a survey by money off voucher website DiscountVouchers.co.uk.

4 February 2011 by Simon Packard - Bloomerg - Pricewaterhouse Coopers

Istanbul is the best place in Europe to buy or develop property as Turkey's economic growth contrasts with declines across much of the region, a survey of 600 real estate professionals by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP showed. Turkey's largest city was first among 27 European cities in terms of where respondents are likely to make purchases, the survey showed. It was fifth last year. Istanbul was also first for the best development prospects and second after Munich for returns from existing properties.....

8 February 2011

A weakening Turkish Lira signals the perfect time to purchase property in Turkey.

Turkish Lira dropped to nearly 2.6 to GBP (2.15 to Euro and 1.59 to USD) after many years of highly stable and sustained levels of 2.2 - 2.35....

8 February 2011 - Voices Newspaper

THE head of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) Carlos Kytka, who traveled to Turkey for the International Gay Travel Symposium, expressed his admiration for Bodrum. Kytka also said more gay and lesbian travelers would start preferring Bodrum for their holidays.....

5 February - Voices Newspaper

THE plight of investors on Didim's bedevilled Golden Beach Complex are to be featured on ITV's "Holiday Homes from Hell" series.

ITV researchers and cameras were in the resort for the latest segment of the ongoing court case in which investors are suing the builders and land owner for the release of the title deeds on their homes.Reporters interviewed victims and took pictures of the complex at Monastery Bay.

The programme is slated for broadcast within two weeks....

EDREMİT - Doğan News Agency (DHA)

Olive oil producers, industrialists and Chamber of Commerce heads from the districts of Edremit, Burhaniye, Ayvalık, Havran, Gömeç, Bandırma and Erdek in the north Aegean province of Balıkesir have united under the new umbrella organization "Balıkesir Olive and Olive Oil Promotion Group.

"The group has pledged to try to find solutions to problems in olive oil production and organize activities for the promotion of olive oil.

Head of the group Mehmet Semerci said they were aiming to increase quality and consumption, provide a standardization of products and develop a market with nationwide appeal.

Monday, January 17, 2011 - BODRUM - Doğan News Agency (DHA)

After an absence of three years, a number of flamingos have arrived at the village of Boğaziçi in the southwestern province of Muğla.

On Jan 8 birdwatchers flocked to the area to see the flamingos, whose numbers have increased to the thousands in a very short time. Birdwatchers demanded that the region attracting the flamingos be protected through measures preventing it from being turned into a garbage site. The flamingos nest and graze on a 380-hectare wetlands near Boğaziçi, which is situated along an avian migration route.

MUĞLA - Doğan News Agency

The Dalyan - İztuzu Sea Turtle Research Rescue and Rehabilitation Center,or DEKAMER, has saved the lives of 20 caretta carettas, also known as the sea turtle. DEKAMER was founded in 2008 by the Dalyan Municipality and Pamukkale University, with contributions from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the General Directorate of National Parks.

Over the course of two years DEKAMER has treated a total of 26 injured sea turtles but only 20 have managed to survive.

Head of centerYakup Kaska, biology professor at Pamukkale University, said the center was preparing to establish a foundation to raise funds the center requires to maintain its operations.

"As the center becomes more international and more effective, expenses grow too," said Kaska.

13 December 2010 - KUŞADASI - Anatolia News Agency

The Bahamian-flagged cruise ship "Aurora" became the last passenger ship to disembark at Kuşadası Port for the 2010 tourism season.

The ship accommodates 800 passengers and 700 employees.

Some passengers of the ship visited the ancient city of Ephesus in Selçuk and the House of Virgin Mary via tours while others preferred to shop in the city center.

Port officers reported that approximately 600,000 passengers arrived in Kuşadası in 534 calls during the 2010 season and added that they expected an increase in the number of tourists visiting the region next season.

8 November 2010 - KUŞADASI - Anatolia News Agency

Kuşadası, a popular Turkish resort south of İzmir, is closing the tourism season with an average occupancy rate of 70 percent, according to data provided by the Kuşadası Tourism and Information Office.

Topping the list of the number of tourists arriving in Kuşadası by sea and land were Germans, followed by Americans, British, French and Irish.

The next top nationalities visiting Kuşadası were South Koreans, Mexicans, Greeks, Norwegians, Italians, Spanish, Canadians and Dutch.

The occupancy rate has increased by 10 percent compared to the same period last year.

January 21, 2011 ANTALYA - Anatolia News Agency

Sateksolar has begun to sell solar panels that can be assembled to power golf and utility carts in Turkey, says Ayfer Gülüm (L), chairwoman of the company.

AA photo Sateksolar, a Turkish company that provides renewable energy solutions, has begun to sell solar golf and utility carts in southern Turkey.

Sateksolar has taken on the Turkey distributorship of solar golf and utility carts produced by Denmark-based Solar Drive, according to a statement from Ayfer Gülüm, board chairwoman of Sateksolar.

The company promoted its golf and utility carts powered by solar energy during the 22nd International Hospitality, Industry Equipment and Decoration Fair in the southern province of Antalya.

"Solar Drive produces and exports more than 30,000 solar golf and utility carts annually," Gülüm said, speaking during the fair this week.

"Providing water pumping and treatment system solutions, Sateksolar has begun to sell solar panels that can be assembled to power golf and utility carts in Turkey. These environment-friendly panels also allow carts to work in cloudy weather with the solar energy they've stored," Gülüm said.

Solar Drive is the global leader in its sector, according to Eric Andersen, director general in charge of global sales and marketing in Solar Drive. "These panels can be easily assembled for any kind of golf and service carts produced in different places in the world," he said.

Solar Drive sells solar golf and utility carts to 40 countries, including the United States and Canada. "The price of the carts varies between $2,500 and $2,800. The Turkish market is attractive and has good growth potential. Electricity costs in enterprises are making solar cars attractive," Andersen said.

Noting that golf tourism has begun to develop throughout Turkey, Gülüm said representatives of some hotels providing golf tourism in the southern towns of Belek, Marmaris and Bodrum have shown interest in solar utility carts. "Hotels, hospitals, municipalities and universities are saving energy by adding solar panels to their short-distance service carts," Gülüm said.

January 10, 2011 - Cavit AKGÜN MUĞLA - Doğan News Agency

The Southwestern town of Akyaka is set to become the second 'Cittaslow' in Turkey after İzmir's Seferihisar.

The process started after the town voted 'yes' in a referendum

The town of Akyaka, located in Ula in the southwestern province of Muğla is set to become a member of the International Cittaslow Association - an association that celebrates a slower pace of life among its member towns.

In April, a referendum was held in Akyaka to decide whether or not the town should join the slow cities association.

Of the 911 people who participated in the referendum, 811 voted in favor of the proposal while 78 voted against it and 22 votes were declared invalid...

January 10, 2011 ÖNDER YILMAZ ANKARA - Milliye *Interview by Jane Akatay from Fethiye

A study by the Treasury's Land Directorate has revealed 455 cases of illegally occupied public lands along southwest Turkey's shores, ranging from 100 square meters to 145,000 square meters. Government agencies are pointing fingers, blaming each other for the confusion in the law Alanya.

The sun beds and umbrellas on that nearby beach might look attractive, but there's a chance there's an ugly truth behind the cover charge at the gate.

With fences and wire netting, signs declaring "No entry" and ditches dug in the ground, hundreds of people have illegally demarcated and occupied thousands of hectares of prime beachfront real estate in southern Turkey, according to a parliamentary report, Parliament's Petition Commission recently released a map detailing the extent of illegal occupation along Turkey's shores and identified the individuals and companies that have blocked access to lands that should be open to the public....

25 October 2010 - DİDİM - Anatolia News Agency

After two days of heavy rain in the southwestern town of Didim, tourists and local people flocked to the seaside Altınkum with the sunny and warm weather with temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius.

While some visitors preferred to enjoy the beach, some visited the ancient Apollon Temple nearby.

Didim Municipality cleaned the seashore of 6 kilometers of waste that was brought by rain and wind.

Sun beds and umbrellas were also placed on the sand.

Occupancy rate of hotels is said to be 40 t0 50 percent.

25 October 2010 - ANTALYA - Doğan News Agency

Black Ice Bar, Turkey's first and just one of seven ice bars in the world, opened at the Antalya Ramada Hotel on Thursday.

In the bar, the tables, glasses, seats, floors and walls are all ice. The bar's temperatures is -8 degrees Celsius all the time.

The Ice Bar is decorated with ice sculptures and colored with different lights. Entrance fee is 16 euros, including a free beverage.

Customers are allowed to stay inside for 45 minutes. At the end of each session, customers can pass to another bar in the hotel.

8 November 2010 - ALANYA - Doğan News Agency

The Bahamian-flagged cruise liner "Amadea" moored at the Mediterranean province of Antalya's Alanya district on Tuesday with 564 passengers, mostly German. Passengers disembarked in Alanya and went sightseeing in groups.

Police teams took extra security measures while passengers were disembarking.

Amadea's last call was at the Greek island of Rhodes. The ship is 192 meters long with deadweight of 28,000 tons. It has 260 crewmembers.

The ship departed in the evening hours for its next destination, Paphos in southern Cyprus.

8 November 2010 - ANTALYA - Anatolia News Agency

Culture and Tourism Ministry has reserved $100 million for the promotion of Turkey in 2011.

According to Resort Magazine published by Mediterranean Tourism Hoteliers and Managers Association, or AKTOB, $45 million of this amount will be spent on the promotion of Turkey in foreign countries.

International promotion activities for Turkey were categorized under six chapters and will be carried out in 32 countries.

The highest amount for overseas promotion was set aside for Germany with $7.5 million.

8 November 2010 - ANTALYA - Anatolia News Agency

The number of tourists who have visited the southern province of Antalya since the beginning of 2010 has exceeded 9 million.

According to data provided by Culture and Tourism Provincial Directorate, a total of 975,294 tourists arrived in Antalya by air last month.

The number of tourists has increased by 11 percent annually when compared to the figures of last year.

"The figures are positive.

We hope to reach our target of hosting 10 million tourists this year," Antalya Culture and Tourism Director İbrahim Acar said.

8 November 2010 - BODRUM - Anatolia News Agency

The Dutch-flagged cruise liner "Prinsendam" pulled into port in Turkey's southwestern town of Bodrum, in the province of Muğla, on Friday.

The ship moored at Bodrum Port and is 205 meters long. It brought approximately 400 tourists from the United States and employs roughly 200 people.

Tourists who disembarked in Bodrum either went shopping downtown or visited historic sites.

Popular destinations were the Bodrum Castle Underwater Archaeology Museum, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Bodrum's antique theater and the district of Değirmenler.

22 November 2010 - ANTALYA - Hürriyet Daily News

Turkish and Iranian travel agencies signed a tourism cooperation protocol Monday 8 November in Antalya in a move that highlights the Mediterranean province as a destination for Iranian tourists.

Turkey's tourism links with Iran have been gaining pace thanks to lack of visa procedures and the closer political relations between the two neighbors.

In an attempt to become familiar with the opportunities in the Turkey tourism sector and meet sector representatives, Iranian tour operators met with Turkish hoteliers in Belek.

22 November 2010 - ANTALYA - Anatolia News Agency

According to the Antalya Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate, 92,576 tourists arrived at Antalya Airport in the first week of November.

In total 9,257,647 tourists have arrived in the city since the beginning of the year.

There is a visible increase in the number of foreign tourists whose numbers have been ever growing since 2007.

Although the summer season has ended, there are promising trends for winter tourism.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry has said Antalya would achieve its target of 10 million tourists by the end of the year.

Turkey has launched an intensive promotion campaign for the 2011 tourism season and both Antalya and Turkey will be promoted at more than 100 expositions.

22 November 2010 -BODRUM - Doğan News Agency

A 60-year-old pier in the southwestern province of Muğla's Bodrum area was knocked down by Bodrum Municipality teams on the grounds that there would be a new shore arrangement.

Fishermen, saying there was no notice about the demolition, protested the operation and refused to pull out their boats.

Gendarmerie teams calmed the fishermen and the demolition was carried out.

The pier at Torba Bay was concrete and eight meters wide.

Municipality officials said the pier was illegal.

6 December 2010 - DİDİM - Hürriyet Daily News

A Christmas Pantomime loosely based on "Aladdin and the magic lamp" will be performed Dec. 10 in Altınkum, Didim, southwestern Turkey.

Named, "Alad in Tinky Town," this will be the third year of the performance, which in 2008 was one of the first pantomimes ever performed in Didim.

A group of Didim locals will don flamboyant costumes and take to the stage for 90 minutes of comedy, song and dance in aid of the children's charity "Çocuklar Ağlamasın Derneği" (May the Children not Cry Association).

The pantomime, written by local writer Kym Çiftçi, takes on the traditional story of Aladdin but gives it a Turkish twist.

13 December 2010 - ANTALYA - Doğan News Agency

Santa Claus has been commemorated on "Santa Claus Day" in the Demre district of the southern province of Antalya as is done every year on 6 December.

Santa Claus is believed to have lived in Demre during the 4th century.

The commemoration was done at the Santa Claus Museum in Demre.

The service was led by priest Hrisostomos Kalaycı from the Istanbul Greek Patriarchate.

Greek Ambassador to Ankara Fatiosjean Xydas, Greek İzmir Consul General Hera Skolarikou, Rhodes Deputy Mayor Tsipidakis Thodoris and 500 participants were present at the service

SPIJKENISSE, Netherlands - Anatolia News Agency

The CEO of a major tour operator bringing tourists from the Netherlands to Turkey has said 2010 was a very good season.

"We sent 100,000 to Turkey last year. We hope to make this figure 130,000 in 2011," Ahmet Karacadal of Anadoluline said.

Karacadal held a press conference on the last day of the year at the Spijkenisse Hotel near Rotterdam after a meeting with airline representatives, businessmen, politicians and nongovernmental organizations.

BODRUM - Doğan News Agency (DHA)

In April Some 700 dancers from 10 countries will participate in the International Bodrum Dance Festival at southwestern province of Muğla's popular Bodrum resort.

The festival, organized for the 12th year, will be held between April 29 and May 1.

Contestants will dance on the streets of Bodrum for three days, creating a carnival atmosphere.

Some 60 shows will be performed at Bodrum's 3,000-year-old antique theater.

One of the organizers, a member of the Bodrum Dance Club, Fatih Özvezneci, said the Bodrum Festival was one of the major dance festivals of the year in Europe.

17 January 2011 - MARMARİS - Doğan News Agency (DHA)

Specially equipped giant cargo ship "Rosaird" has started transporting mega-yachts to the popular resort town of Marmaris Turkey's southwestern Muğla province. Rosaird moored at Marmaris Port last week to deliver its cargo of five luxury yachts, mostly belonging to wealthy Italians.

The 9,611 ton gross deadweight ship is over 130 meters long and has a 16-man crew.

Marmaris Port authorities said they expect many luxury yachts from Italy, the United States and various northern European countries to arrive in Marmaris before the tourism season starts. It is less generally costly to ship yachts as cargo instead of sailing them

Monday, January 17, 2011 Mehmet ÇİL DATÇA, Muğla - Doğan News Agency (DHA)

All the markets, cafes, cafeterias and coffeehouses of a village in southern Turkey are owned and managed by women. The first female entrepreneur in the area made such an impact when she started trading 30 years ago that others followed suit In Datça, in Turkey's southwestern province of Muğla, women dominate the business world. The women in Yazıköy village, 28 kilometers from Datça, have launched their own businesses and gained significant economic influence. Almost like the Amazon women depicted in legends, women in this village have absolute power.

Monday, January 17, 2011 LEVENT KİŞİ MARMARİS - Anatolia News Agency

Tourism investors advocate controlled construction in selected bays but environmentalists and local governmental official have completely opposed the idea Some 200 bays between Marmaris and Datça in southwestern Turkey should be open to tourism, according to representatives of the tourism sector in the Aegean Region. The area, called "blue paradises" by local people, should be allocated for tourism construction in a controlled way, the representatives said.....

Monday January 17, 2011 Osman Nuri BOYACI DENİZLİ - Doğan News Agency (DHA)

Parts of the second 'Ghost Rider' movie, starring famous actor Nicolas Cage, will be shot in Pamukkale and Cappadocia News that a movie starring Nicholas Cage will be partially shot in Pamukkale in Turkey's Aegean province of Denizli has created a wave of joy and excitement, according to media reports. Several important scenes, including the final scenes, of the second "Ghost Rider" movie will be shot in Pamukkale, which is known for its white travertine falls, and Cappadocia. The first "Ghost Rider" movie starred Nicholas Cage and Eva Mendes and was released in 2007. It brought in $114 million at the box office....

Monday, January 17, 2011 JANE AKATAY FETHİYE - Hürriyet Daily News

Turkey is fast becoming one of the most popular places to have a nip, tuck or a dental makeover. There are now many companies that organize trips to Istanbul or southwestern Turkey providing a range of hi-tech and life-changing procedures and treatments Turkey is rapidly emerging as one of the most popular destinations in Europe, especially for people from the United Kingdom, for dental and cosmetic tourism. Jean Berry from Bristol was one of the thousands of Brits who have had their dream come true in Turkey. She had her teeth "done" at a clinic in Fethiye in southwestern Turkey..........

Sunday, January 16, 2011 JANE AKATAY Fethiye correspondent Hurriyet

Recently in this supplement John Laughland sparked a lively debate about dress (or lack of it) among tourists. Maybe eventually someone in authority will eventually take notice of his plea because it is one of a series of symptoms of what's wrong with tourism in Southwest Turkey. The tourism authorities need to examine the way we market Turkey as a holiday destination and re-brand the southwest. Let's stop selling this amazing part of the world short. The southwest coast of Turkey is scenically spectacular, has a well-deserved reputation for hospitality and a uniquely rich historic culture, yet rather than using these assets to attract more quality independent tourism, it is often marketed as down-market "cheap" or high-end "inclusive" with little recognition of what makes Turkey special. This is as much about branding as price........

Monday, January 10, 2011 YAŞAR ANTER BODRUM - Doğan News Agency (DHA) Bodrum

The popular vacation spot of Bodrum has become one of the favorite playgrounds of international royalty over the past 10 years, with princes, kings and sheiks increasingly coming to the area for holidays and investments, according to officials. Among the Middle-Eastern royalty that visit Bodrum are Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammad bin Fahd bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah and Prince Hassan of Jordan, all of whom have bought villas and land in Bodrum........

April 14, 2009

The Altinkum Didim Yacht Marina in Turkey has been in the pipeline for an absolute age, but the waiting is finally over ......

22 October 2008

Ten years ago Turkey didn't exactly spring to mind when thinking about the world's great golf destinations.....

April 03 2009

UK's first Islamic mortgage has been launched.....

5 April 2009

Obama backs Turkey EU accession

Istanbul International Golf Festival will be organized in Kemer Golf & Country Club,

9 March 2009

While the financial markets of the world experience a significant shrinkage, the Turkish banks are not having any difficulty with funding.

30 March 2009

Turkey has witnessed a 75 per cent increase in exports to Iraq in the first two months of 2009,

2 April 2009

The Turkish authorities are hoping to attract US visitors with a campaign aimed at boosting the country as a low cost European destination..

18 March 2009

On the overseas property investment radar, Turkey is still an emerging signal

March 2009

Many people are starting to look at the Turkish property market as the potential next "hotspot" as and when the world economy starts to pick up.

24th March 2009

A new report from Jones Lang LaSalle has found that despite the global economic slowdown, the residential market in Istanbul remains buoyant, with plenty of opportunities on offer for investors,

The property market in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, is becoming increasingly popular with overseas buyers.

Turkey has scored a birdie in 2008 by winning the title of ‘Best Golf Destination of the Year in Europe' as developers line up to create courses in the country.

Financial Times is recommending its readers buy residential or holiday homes next year, selecting the 10 top locations, it has included Turkey's Belek, Altýnkum and Bodrum's coasts, with an emphasis on...

The distance from London to Turkey's top holiday spot is about to be shortened, as the Europe-wide low price carrier, EasyJet announces the start of Gatwick to Bodrum flights.

Turkey's property market has been boosted by recent strong economic growth.

As of 2008, over 63,000 properties have been sold to foreigners, accounting for 7.6 billion euros in foreign investment.