By Chris Evans 

The beaches are emptying; the weather is slightly cooler, and the distant rumble of builders restarting work after the summer is upon us. It can only mean winter is on its way. It always leaves me with a question no one has ever answered satisfactorily.

The tagline to the film Field Of Dreams is “build it and they will come”. It’s how I feel about the long winter months in Didim. We still have wonderful weather even if, hopefully, it will become a little cooler. We have plenty of events to keep people entertained, ranging from the Christmas Fair to the Boxing Day swim. Surely, we’re perfect for Europeans looking for some winter sun.

I’m aware some businesses remain open year-round, even if there are a few weeks they have to close for maintenance and a well-earned holiday. To them, I doff my cap.

I was recently asked by one of these businesses why I supported them and have mentioned them in my column. It’s for the very reason they are putting in so much effort. If everyone closed, imagine how horrid a place Didim could become with little to do. They are a driver in the community that is the key to everything.

I remember childhood winters walking the dogs on an empty Skegness beach. We’d stop and have fish and chips at the only place still open. It made the town depressing. Over the years, things have changed and it’s now a year round operation. Skegness has risen like a phoenix from the ashes.

Didim can learn from this. The more businesses that remain open, the more people will come. It’s a simple equation. Most of businesses are paying expenses for their locations while closed for the winter months, anyway.

Not everything is in Didim’s control. We need airports to remain open, flights to continue, and an awareness Turkiye is open all year and not just in the summer months to spread. What Didim offers as a destination doesn’t change with the season. The history, beaches, and decent weather remain.

There’s a huge market for winter holidays in warmer climates. Just ask Dubai. Many also do not want to pay the inflated summer prices travel companies charge. They’re even happy to pay the fines schools impose, as it still works out as a cheaper holiday. If Didim is closed as a town, then it’s ignoring a market that could help alleviate a slow summer. Maybe I’m missing something, but it seems a bit bonkers to me.

I will always support businesses who remain open for the vast majority of the year. They are the ones who support the entire community. They are the trendsetters we need.

I’m sure at least one person will make the comment, “It’s the way it’s always been.” If we had stuck to that mindset, there would be no television, no computers, and we’d still be eating Brown Windsor soup. On the other hand, we wouldn’t have the less salubrious parts of social media either. There’s a balance in everything.

I also know many of us, myself included, enjoy the winter months of seclusion. Sitting on Sagtur beach with only the Stray Army for company is something I love. That is until I turn around and see the restaurants either closed or empty.

The argument for closing because of no demand leads us to the chicken and egg scenario. If there is no demand, we need to create it. Keeping the doors open is the first step. I could put my PR and marketing hat on and come up with a plethora of ideas, but that’s a whole other discussion and one my global experience allows me to charge for.

Local businesses, and Didim as a whole, cannot change things on their own. It requires a change of mindset from everyone from central government down. It’s going to take hard work and plenty of team effort, but it’s achievable.

We all know the Turkish economy needs a major boost. Starting with some basic changes, which will be unpopular with some, is at least a place everyone can build from. As the tagline says, “build it and they will come.”