Mayor Aras Attended the Istanbul Tourism Fair

10 Oct Mayor Aras Attended the Istanbul Tourism Fair

Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Aras attended the 2nd Istanbul Tourism Fair and presented “The Global City Muğla” during the mayors’ session.

The 2nd Istanbul Tourism Fair, held at the Dr. Mimar Kadir Topbaş Show and Art Center in Yenikapı, Istanbul, was attended by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Aras, Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Deputy General Manager of the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu, Chair of the Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD) Oya Narin, Chair of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) Firuz Bağlıkaya, Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ünal Üstel, CHP Deputy Chair Gülşah Deniz Atalay, other mayors, and numerous tourism stakeholders.

Mayor Aras; “In terms of tourism, we receive a share based on our registered population.”

Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union and Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Aras emphasized that tourism utilizes local resources, supports rural development, and directly or indirectly benefits nearly 100 sectors. He noted that municipalities do not receive direct income from tourism and highlighted the significant strain on Muğla’s infrastructure, with its population of 1 million hosting 6.5 million tourists.

Mayor Aras stated: 

“The Istanbul Tourism Fair is a promising event. Today, we are gathered with the leading figures of the tourism industry. Although municipalities do not directly earn revenue from tourism, nor do they benefit from any taxes or profits, tourism is a crucial sector, especially for supporting the local economy and rural development. Tourism directly and indirectly supports around 100 different sectors. The tourism industry relies entirely on local resources. The value it adds, both directly and indirectly, is immense and cannot be fully listed here. 

In terms of tourism, we receive a share based on our registered population. Muğla’s population is 1 million, yet as of today, the number of tourists entering Muğla has reached 6.5 million. We earn 1 million lira but spend 6.5 million lira. This is unsustainable. Additionally, the influx of tourists creates significant pressure on infrastructure in the areas they visit. Issues like roads, traffic, sewage systems, and water crises are on all of our agendas. Environmental concerns, waste management, and many other challenges place a heavy burden on municipalities. However, municipalities receive nothing in return. For instance, I have a population of 1,056,000, and I get funding accordingly, but I end up spending 6.5 million lira.”

Our Master Plan is Ready to Make Muğla a Global Brand

Mayor Aras stated: 

“We are working on a master plan to elevate Muğla’s tourism to a higher level. As the Metropolitan Municipality, we have established the Tourism Research and Development Plan Platform to make Muğla a global brand. On October 31, we will bring together all initiatives in Muğla. Furthermore, we will gather public institutions, the private sector, professional chambers, and civil society organizations from outside Muğla around the same table. We are also collaborating with Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University on this effort. 

Once all our stakeholders embrace this plan, we will have made Muğla a brand city. To achieve branding in tourism, other aspects must also be addressed comprehensively. We need to adhere to the master plan that we will develop together with all stakeholders. From cleaning services to taxi drivers, let’s implement this plan so that Muğla can take its place among the world’s brand cities.”

Municipalities Should Receive a Share of Motor Vehicle and Accommodation Taxes

Mayor Aras stated that local governments should receive a share of accommodation taxes to sustain tourism services. He pointed out that the current tax system places a heavy burden on tourism operators. Aras also emphasized the need to allocate a fixed percentage of motor vehicle taxes directly to municipalities. 

He stated that municipalities are responsible for establishing a strong urban infrastructure, setting up a sewage system, creating regular solid waste facilities for the city’s future, maintaining roads, supporting agriculture, and creating a peaceful city environment for citizens and visitors, both local and foreign. Mayor Aras highlighted that, with the vision of a Global City Muğla, they are working to transform Muğla, a tourism brand, into the tourism capital.