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Safranbolu, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed district in Karabuk, northern Türkiye, marked Tourism Week with an official program while continuing to attract growing interest from visitors, particularly from East Asia.
The event, held between April 15–22, opened in Kazdagli Square with a moment of silence followed by the Turkish national anthem. Local officials framed the week as both a celebration of tourism and a reminder of the responsibility to preserve cultural heritage.
Karabuk Governor Oktay Cagatay said the province brings together Safranbolu, the wider Paflagonia region, dense forests, and the Hadrianopolis rock tombs, describing it as a geography shaped by inherited cultural assets. He underlined that the priority is to pass this legacy on to future generations in a healthy and protected state, while highlighting Safranbolu’s central role in that effort.
Safranbolu’s inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994 was tied to its ability to carry its historical character into the present.
District Governor Hayrettin Baskin noted that the area contains nearly two thousand monumental structures alongside archaeological and urban protected zones, making it one of the rare places globally where such continuity has been preserved.
Alongside Tourism Week activities, Safranbolu has been drawing increasing attention from East Asian tourists, reflecting its international appeal as a well-preserved Ottoman-era settlement.
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