New Horizons July 2018 | Page 13

11

3- Foça, İzmir

Foça, or Phokaia of the antiquity, named after the Mediterranean seals living on one of the islands surrounding the city, is a significant tourism centre of Izmir.

The project “Four Seasons Foça” supported by Future is in Tourism aimed to spread tourism activities over four seasons, and embed in tourism activities the nature-friendly production and operation models for sustainable tourism in Foça and environs where traditional viticulture, fruit-vegetable farming, olive farming and coastal fishing.

A comprehensive sustainable tourism plan was prepared which laid down activities that could be carried out over four seasons in Foça. To diversify souvenir products, marketable handicraft and industrial products specific to Foça were identified. Branding work started under the name Four Seasons Foça. A tour plan of Foça was created under the sustainable tourism approach. Day tours, biking, hiking, diving, fishing tours, activity tours of nature sports, and experiential tourism tours were identified. Training on sustainable tourism was delivered to tourism enterprise owners (hotels, restaurants, boats).

Where?

It is 65 km from the provincial centre of Izmir.

When to visit?

You can visit all seasons.