Speaking to the Anatolia news agency on Friday, Chairman Turgut Gür said the coastal tourism was operating at full accommodation capacity and there was potential in alternative tourism sectors.

Gür and members of the board visited the Thracian province of Edirne on Friday to conduct a feasibility study regarding the tourism investment potential in the province. The delegation visited Mayor Hamdi Sedefçi, who told the delegation they were having a hard time keeping tourists in the city due to a lack of accommodation opportunities.

Sedefçi said once an Ottoman capital the province had a remarkable historical, cultural in addition to its natural wealth. “We have initiated a series of efforts to promote our city’s tourism potential starting with 2004. As a result of our efforts we could get the Kırkpınar district, where the traditional oil wrestling tournaments take place, on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Similarly, we are expecting the Selimiye Mosque to be added to the list in the upcoming meeting to be held in June. Our ultimate aim is to get the whole province on the World Heritage list.”

Sedefçi said the municipality was currently working on very important projects. “Edirne receives 1.1 million tourists annually. But we are short on hotels. In addition to hotel construction undertaken by Dedeman Hotel there are two other ongoing hotel construction projects. It would be a great advantage for our province if the fast train project includes us. We are also planning to create a small Manhattan out of the industrial zone in the city center, and we are currently conducting studies for this project.”

Gür said the fact that the Edirne province was once an Ottoman capital was enough a reference to turn it into a brand. However, he added the historical wealth in the city was exposed to scenery pollution.

"Edirne is such an important city that we cannot afford to neglect it. We have to conduct a very efficient promotion campaign to create global awareness about this city. This could not be pulled through with the lone efforts of the municipality or with the help of local nongovernmental organizations. This should be a state policy.”

He also said Turkey owned an incredible cultural and historical wealth, which allowed room for diversification of tourism and invited the investors to invest in alternative tourism sectors in the Anatolia.