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All swimming areas in Edirne where sea entry is permitted have received the top rating of "excellent" for water quality, according to recent measurements.
According to the latest data published on the Health Ministry's Bathing Water Monitoring System, microbiological analyses conducted at the Erikli, Yayla, Mecidiye, Gokcetepe, and Sazlidere beaches in Kesan district, as well as at all swimming areas in Enez district, found water quality to be "excellent."
Water samples are regularly collected from designated points throughout the swimming season and analyzed for various microbiological criteria, primarily Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci bacteria, before being classified as "excellent," "good," "sufficient," or "poor."
Ali Karapire, secretary general of the Edirne Tourism Association, stated that the "excellent" water quality across all swimming areas in the province once again demonstrated the cleanliness of the Gulf of Saros.
Karapire said the Gulf of Saros is one of the few seas in the world capable of naturally renewing itself, explaining that the continuous exchange between cold water at the bottom and warm surface currents keeps the gulf naturally clean.
He added that the absence of heavy industry in the region also contributes to protecting the sea and that the minerals carried by streams feeding into the gulf support a high level of biodiversity.
Karapire noted that the Gulf of Saros, which has a coastline of around 75 kilometers (46.6 miles), is home to 970 living species and is among Türkiye's major tourism destinations, known for diving tourism, its beaches, and a historic underwater museum.
Highlighting that regular measurements by the Health Ministry found water quality to be "excellent" at all swimming areas in Edirne, Karapire said the result showed how clean the Gulf of Saros is.
He noted that despite being around three hours from Istanbul, the region has no large chain hotels, with accommodation provided mainly through boutique hotels, guesthouses, campsites, and summer houses.
Karapire said he believes visitor numbers could grow through sustainable tourism investments that preserve the natural environment.
He added that the tourism season should not be limited to the summer months alone, saying that investment in diving, gastronomy, culture, and nature tourism could allow the region to host visitors throughout the year.
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