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According to the statistics given by the Ministry of Tourism on 31.12.99, the Southern Aegean region possesses 851 establishmnets licensed for investment and business purposes which together contain accommodation for 141, 190 visitors. When one considers that each year accommodation for visitors in Turkey increases by 25 thousand beds a year one can see that Turkey's share of tourism in the Mediterranean Basin will greatly increase. If this prediction comes true, Turkey 's serious competition in the tourism business will become especially active in the Aegean region.
 The geography of the Aegean region makes it particularly suitable as a market for various kinds of tourism. The most beautiful bays are at Fethiye where the Mediterranean and Aegean regions meet. Termessos, as it was known in history, today Ölüdeniz, like its name is a calm, quiet bay, famous for its geographical features. Maritime tourism, which ensures Turkey an income of 12 million dollars a year and is increasing rapidly in popularity, begins in the Mediterranean region but is also particularly active in the Aegean region. The area is full of coves, bays and beaches so that every night one can cast anchor in a different and attractive place. There are about 5000 yacht-owners in Turkey, compared with the total number of between 250 and 300 thousand in the whole of the Mediterranean Basin and every year the number of marinas is increasing.
 Turkey is a competitor in the race for yacht tourism along with countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Greece. The sea-route which begins at Fethiye continues via Göcek, Marmaris, Bozburnu, Datça and Bodrum towards Kusadasi . As transportation is easily available from the aiport to all the marinas in the area , activity in this region is on the increase. Marmaris is one of the centres which are ideal for water sports and yachting. This is an important starting point, second only to Bodrum, for the Blue Voyage along the Aegean coast. The Marmaris marina is the largest and most modern in the Southern Aegean. The famous Cleopatra Beach with its golden sands and sea containing every shade of blue is worth a visit. From Marmaris it is possible to board a car-ferry for the island of Rhodes just opposite. The well-known geographer of ancient times , Strabon, said of Datça," Those whom the gods love they send to Datça in order to prolong their lives."
 Half of the the Datça Peninsula, the boundaries of which lie between the bay of Gökova and the Mediterranean, faces the Mediteranean and half looks towards the Aegean. Knydos, to give it its former name, is almost like an oxygen tent. According to Herodotus, Bodrum has the most beautiful sky and the best climate in the world. Along the Aegean coast, gulfs and peninsulas, bays and sandy beaches are strung one after the other. This region has been a source of myths and legends for many centuries and is a place where at every step one finds the theatres, temples and agoras of famous cities of antiquity. At the entrance to Bodrum harbour stands the castle built in the Middle Ages by the knights of Rhodes. Bodrum is one of the most crowded centres of tourism in Turkey. Its bays make it very favourable for yacht tourism and, like the rest of the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, there are very attractive facilities. Turgutreis, Gümüslük and Yalikavak are ideal centres for water-sports. One of the things one should not miss is the chance of a Blue Tour from Bodrum.
 By motorcruiser or a simple sailing boat, the Blue Cruise takes one into the many bays which lace the shores of the Aegean. Another speciality is a trip to the island of Cos. Imsak Airport, 30 kilometres from Bodrum, and Dalaman airport, 200 kilometrees away, are both open to international air traffic. One of the important criteria in world tourism is an unspoilt and unpolluted natural environment and beaches whose cleanliness is attested by their blue-flag status. The Southern Aegean boasts both of these, thus making it an important market for tourism. Dalyan, where for centuries seine- fishing has been practised in its natural canal, attracts attention not only for the ruins of the antique city of Kaunos, but also for possessing in Iztuzu beach one of the few remaining beaches where the Caretta Caretta turtles can be found.
 Kusadasi, or to give it its other name, Guvercinada, possibly the first place in Turkey to be discovered by Westerners, is known as the Cote d'Azure of Turkey. Its proximity to the important cultural and religious centres such as Selçuk, Efes and the house of the Virgin Mary, makes this lovely area the chief source of hard currency in Turkish tourism. Its popularity still continues today and its marina makes it one of Turkey's favourite points of entry from the sea. Its entertainment and shopping facilities make it a lively centre for cruise tourism as one of the most important of Turkish ports. The Southern Aegean; the richness of its natural surroundings and its climate lay the foundation for different forms of tourism to be carried on in all four seasons. There are facilities for surfing , sailing , water-parachuting and water skiing, as well as spearfishing and fishing from the shore or by boat; various thermal baths attract thermal tourism, and the historical ruins, which seem almost like an open-air museum, are a magnet for culture tourism; the natural surroundings afford opportunities for tourism connected with sports activites, as well as eco- tourism.
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An Underwater Paradise
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Another important factor connected with the cultural heritage of the world is underwater archaeological exploration which is carried out extensively along the shores of the Mediterranean and the Aegean. In this region, Bodrum Museum has become of the most prominent of museums for underwater archaeological exploration.
In fact Bodrum has become a focal point in underwater archaeology. Work has been carried on in this area for twenty years; more than a hundred sites of wrecks have been established and the work is on-going .
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Walking Among The Clouds
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Nowhere in the world is there anywhere quite like Pamukkale (Hierapolis) with its extraordinary natural beauty seen in the dazzling whiteness of its petrified fortress. The calcareous waters create pols and waterfalls ast hey flow down from the plateau in thermal cascades. The marvellous sight of the petrified waves of travertine formed by the sedimentation of calcium oxide in the streams makes it a great centre of attraction for tourists. Since Roman times this healing water has been used for therapeutic purposes. In the surrounding area the hotels with thermal baths and the ruins of the ancient cities of Aphrodisias and Colossae, together with its special topography, make Pamukkale a great draw for tourists. Moreover, the Martyrium of St Philip and the Great Basilica and Columned Church at Hierapolis ensure that, together with thermal tourism, pilgrimage is also a factor for tourism here.
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It should be seen
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Halikarnas, St. Peter Castle, The Underwater Archeological Museum of Bodrum, Moseleum, Amphitheater, The Gulf of Gökova , Knidos, Köycegiz, Dalyan, Kaunos, Iztuzu, Milet, Didyma, Priene, Colossae, Apollo Temple, Athena Temple, Hierapolis, Aphrodisias, Ölüdeniz, Labranda, Letoon, Pinara, Telmessos, Tlos, Marmaris Museum, Fethiye Museum
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Blue Voyage
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The bays of the Mediterraneam and the Aegean between Bodrum and Demre are, in especial, the headquarters for Blue Voyages in this region. The Blue Voyage is generally made in wooden 20-25 metre sailing-boats, and, even if sail is used in favourable weather, the motor is more often used on the voyage. Tours which set out from Bodrum generally make use of two areas. The first is the Gulf of Gökova and the other is the Gukf of Güllük. In the direction of Gulluk (Mandalya), it is possible to visit the ancient cities of Didyma, Priene, Miletus and Iasos. From Marmaris tours visit Hisarönü and the gulf of Sömbeki together with the Datça peninsula, or else the gulf of Fethiye. Those which go in the direction of Fethiye give up one day to visiting Dalyan and the ancient city of Kaunos.
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2500 Years Ago...
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The name of Golden Sands is particularly suitable for the beautiful natural beach near the ruins of ancient Didyma, itself an extremely attractive site for culture-lovers. The three great cities of antiquity, Didyma, Priene and Miletos with their temples to Athena and Apollo, the old theatre and city built according to the plans drawn up 2500 years ago by the first city-planner, Hippodamus, are of special interest .
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A Place Where Nature Speaks