There’s no doubt in our minds here at Oceanwide Properties that the general consensus over the recent excavation and restructuring work to Fethiye’s town square has been a general thumbs up all round – from locals, government ministers and tourists alike.
The large tiled area, which boasts amusing topiary, fountains and impressive statutes, is to provide a focal point for festivities and other communal activities. But the town square is just one of a number of planned projects by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to improve the town (population 50,000) and secure its place as a sought-after tourist destination world-wide.
Other initiatives include boosting the popular paved and palm tree-lined promenade with its pretty tea houses, restaurants and lively bars and which stretches from Ugur Mumci Park in central Fethiye as far as lovely Calis Beach. Ask any estate agent in Fethiye, including ourselves, and they’ll tell you these two improvements in themselves have already attracted much foreign interest.
Historical restoration
Meanwhile, a 4.5 million TL restoration project on Fethiye’s 5000 year old early Roman Telmessos theatre (which sits just behind the yacht area) is due to be unveiled in October this year. The two-tiered theatre can hold around 6000 individuals and once played host to gladiator fights. It’s rumoured a brand new museum will also be built in the tombs area near to the old castle.
Landscape and environmental improvements
And if history and ancient stone work isn’t your thing then you might be interested in work by a locally-coordinated pro-tourism group for Fethiye. Working under the name FETAB and formed last year, they have already secured beach cleaning operations as well as protection schemes for local bird reserves, cleaning of the lagoon and initiatives to mitigate pollution.
Boost to tourism potential
Fethiye is one of a total of 69 tourism areas in Turkey which are to be developed in order to increase the number of foreign visitors to the country to around 33 million it was announced by the government earlier this year. Last year the figure was at almost 32 million – an increase of 500,000 on the previous year – and there’s no doubt this figure will go up as more of the government’s planned restoration projects come to fruition.
House prices in Fethiye
Thanks to the government investment in redeveloping there is plenty of interest in property for sale in Fethiye. Indeed house prices in the region continue to rise – and not just for new builds. Traditional houses and apartments are also receiving offers unheard of in previous years. Calis in particular is proving attractive to foreign investors keen to capitalise on the recent improvements.
Investment in the area
Fethiye, with its idyllic Mediterranean beach will always attract holiday makers and during the winter months the population is still large enough (around 50,000) to make the town feel bustling and friendly. As such it’s a perfect area to rent or preferably buy property in Turkey (since you’re practically guaranteed to make a profit on the latter thanks to modernisation and upgrading of the area). Turkey was the 6th highest on the international tourism arrivals chart last year and there’s no sign of its popularity abating any time soon.
For investment, retirement or rental opportunities in Turkey we’d be more than happy to advise you right here at Oceanwide Properties Turkey.
