Newsletters
Pamukkale, one of Türkiye's most recognized tourism destinations, has welcomed more than 1.1 million visitors in the first seven months of the year, according to figures from the Pamukkale Regional Executive Board of the Türkiye Association of Travel Agencies (TURSAB).
Turan Koseoglu, the board's chairman, said the site reached 1,114,000 visitors between January and July, and that the numbers are expected to keep climbing through the autumn as favorable weather extends the tourism season.
Although the season started somewhat later than usual this year due to developments in the Gulf region, Koseoglu said activity picked up significantly in recent weeks as conditions in the region stabilized.
A major driver behind the surge in domestic visitors has been the completion of renovation and restoration work on Pamukkale's ancient thermal pool, which has now returned to full-capacity service.
The ancient pool allows visitors to swim year-round in natural thermal water that maintains a temperature of around 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), a feature that has long been central to the site's appeal.
Pamukkale is known worldwide for its cascading white travertine terraces, formed over thousands of years by calcium-rich mineral springs flowing down the hillside.
Visitors frequently share photographs taken among the site's terraces and historic ruins on social media, which has helped further promote Pamukkale to international travelers.
According to Koseoglu, the region has also seen a noticeable rise in the number of tourists arriving from Far Eastern markets in recent months.
Pamukkale sits alongside the ruins of Hierapolis, an ancient Greco-Roman spa city, meaning visitors to the site are able to explore both natural thermal formations and archaeological remains in the same location.
Koseoglu said that with continued favorable weather and an extended tourist season, officials expect visitor numbers to reach their targeted levels by the end of the year.
Citing Türkiye's position among the top countries in global tourism, Koseoglu said he believes Pamukkale will keep expanding its visitor numbers annually and capture a growing share of the country's overall tourism activity.
Set as preferred source
1 min read
