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Demre, a coastal district on Türkiye's southwestern Mediterranean shore, is working to extend its tourism season across all four seasons. Located roughly 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Antalya, the region aims to leverage its rich historical heritage, pristine nature, and unspoiled coastline to attract faith and sea tourism year-round.
Demre is home to well-known sites including the St. Nicolas Church, dedicated to the historical figure behind the Santa Claus legend, as well as the ancient cities of Myra and Andriake, and the coastal areas of Kekova, Ucagiz and Kalekoy.
In recent years, international events, new accommodation investments and sustainable tourism projects have helped the district increase its share of visitors.
Known in antiquity as Myra, the Lycian city beneath modern Demre was home to St. Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop whose reputation for generosity and gift-giving later inspired the Santa Claus tradition celebrated across Europe and the United States. The district was known as Kale until it was renamed Demre in 2005.
Demre Mayor Fahri Duran said the district had long been associated with agriculture, but its tourism potential has become increasingly visible in recent years.
"Demre was known for years as an agricultural district. But we had very strong assets on hand, including culture tourism, faith tourism, sea tourism and natural beauty.
We have a district with unspoiled nature that can host tourism for 12 months," Duran said.
Faith tourism is one of Demre's most important assets, Duran said, noting that clergy from different countries travel to the district each Dec. 6 to hold a ceremony at St. Nicolas Church.
The first Santa Claus Festival, held last year, drew strong interest, and organizers aim to expand the event on an international scale going forward, according to Duran.
He said the festival was organized around the theme "Christmas comes alive in the city of Santa Claus," adding that feedback had been largely positive and that a more comprehensive, larger-scale international event is planned for next year.
Ucagiz and Kalekoy are among Demre's leading tourism destinations, Duran said, recalling that Ucagiz was named Best Tourism Village by the U.N. Tourism Organization last year.
With a population of around 700, Ucagiz sees particularly high interest during the summer season, drawing an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 visitors on weekends and around 2,000 on weekdays, according to Duran.
Kalekoy is one of the few settlements in the area without a road connection, offering visitors a distinct atmosphere through its characteristic houses, streets, and natural surroundings, Duran said
He added that while visitor numbers have declined in some tourism regions, Demre was among the few areas that saw higher visitor numbers than the previous year.
Duran pointed to the importance of sustainability in tourism, saying a recreation project covering roughly 50,000 to 60,000 square meters in the Cayagzi area is set to launch in September.
Infrastructure work aimed at protecting the district's coastal waters is also continuing with support from the provincial governor's office, he said.
Accommodation investment in the district has accelerated, Duran said, noting that villas, bungalows, apart hotels and hotels have brought total bed capacity to an estimated 4,000 to 5,000.
Duran said Demre is becoming more widely known each year and invited both domestic and international tourists to explore the district's historical, natural and cultural assets.
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