HOTELIERS and Bodrum tourism agents have held their final meetings before the advent of the new tourism season, amid calls for more direct flights into the resort.

They attended a meeting along with the Mugla Governor Amir Cicek,  Bodrum Governor Bekir

Yilmaz, Bodrum Mayor Mehmet Kocadon, Bodrum Hotel Assoication (BODER) president Halil Ozyurt and TAV Holding Sales and marketing manager Serkan Karahatay. TAV Holding is the operator of Bodrum Airport.

Mayor Kocadon took to the floor and discussed every kind of road that would be taken by the local government: it was also discussed that more flights are needed into Bodrum from abroad.

He said that much had been done to promote the area in Turkey given the downturn in trade from foreign tourism,.

But there was now a desire to reach out to the likes of the UK and Germany in an intense effort to boost the tourism economy in Bodrum.

He added: “The greatest feature for Bodrum is its peace and tranquillity. Tranquility provides economic power. If our economic fails then we will lose our beautiful Bodrum.”

Other attendees also called for a more focused effort on the need to attract more flights into Bodrum Airport to help serve the tourism sector, and all agreed to do what they can to rise to the challenge to do so.

Jet2.com in recent weeks has announced plans to offer flights in summer 2018 to Bodrum from Newcastle and Glasgow.