Already world-famous for its sun and sand, the Mediterranean province of Antalya is seeking to diversify its tourism revenue stream by promoting a new alternative: highland meadow tourism.

Although highland meadow tourism is more commonly associated with the Black Sea region, Antalya possesses largely untouched highland areas that offer breathtaking scenery, undiscovered caves and stunning streams on the edges of the rugged Toros Mountains.

“The major reason why these riches have not been used for tourism is the lack of infrastructure necessary to make these distant areas [comfortable],” Mehmet Çalışkan, a tourism investor in the city, recently told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.  

Authorities, however, now plan to focus more attention on the region’s highland meadows. According to data obtained from the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Turkish authorities plan to form a commission consisting of different ministries that will visit the Toros Mountains and determine locations suitable for the construction of boutique hotels, ski centers, trails and camping centers. 

The commission will also determine routes for valley and canyon tours, as well as suitable locations for paragliding and health and communication infrastructure. 

Officials from the Public Works and Housing Ministry will also launch special projects to prevent the growth of illegal and haphazard tourism infrastructure in the meadows, according to the directorate. 

Locals will further be given priority in investments as part of the highland meadow tourism project, officials said. 

The project needs governmental incentives, regulations and serious planning because it is so comprehensive, Çalışkan said, adding that such an undertaking would be impossible if players in the tourism industry were the only ones expected to make the investments.

Nobody would dare construct a hotel or ski center in the middle of a highland meadow that has no water, electricity and roads no matter how beautiful it is, Çalışkan said, pointing to the need for state aid. 

‘We don’t even have any electricity’

Many locals in the Ovacık highland meadow in the district of Serik said they were excited about the plans but noted that the area seriously lacked infrastructure. 

Hasan Uğurlu, a 52-year-old villager, said there was much to do in Antalya’s distant villages before starting any tourism project. 

“Some regions around here do not even have electricity even though they have inhabitants,” said Uğurlu. “How can the state think of a project and earn money from it before bringing its citizens very basic needs?” 

Disagreeing with Uğurlu, 57-year-old Mehmet Atyazıcı said the project would increase awareness about the issues in their region; the area’s needs would be met one by one once the project begins, he added.

“There is no point in disagreeing with a state project that can open new horizons for the locals. Instead, we should support it and take part in it in order to get the best result,” said Atyazıcı. 

In addition to the highland meadows in the Mediterranean area, Turkish ministries are also planning more development in similar Black Sea areas. 

The project is expected to last 10 years, according to officials.