OFFICIALS from across Didim gathered for the seventh Tourism Investment Summit last Thursday October 8.

The conference featured speeches from Aydın Governor Erol Ayyıldız, Didim Governor Iskender Yonden and Mayor Deniz Atabay, as well as Chamber of Commerce representatives.

The Didim Tourism Investment Summit is one of the longest-running in the tourism and local industry representatives have shown great interest.

Didim Mayor Deniz Atabay said the protection of the environment and the resort’s cultural assets were important.

Didim Chamber of Commerce Chairman Saban Üstündağ stressed the potential of tourism in Didim with the summit and discussed the issue.

Üstündağ saidf the chamber had launched a website to promote Didim.

He said: “There are problems in Didim. We have expressed the difficulties of this area. Didim has an average summer population of 300,000, yet its winter population is 75,000. We need to develop new methods for Didim tourism. ”

Mr Atabay said: “We are doing a lot for Didim, but in some respects our tourism sector has been caught unprepared. Tourism has not developed since the 80s in terms of rising Didim environment. W

“We want people coming to see our healthy environment. The Temple of Apollo is one of the most important values ​​of our district. There are archaeological sites in the area of the first degree. We want to get the structure in place to protect the area.”

All speakers called for greater investment from various organizations and government ministries to help Didim grow in the future.