Çeşme, one of Turkey’s leading tourism destinations, is getting ready for the 13th Alaçatı Herb Festival to be held this year. The festival, with the slogan “return to roots” and the theme of “abundance of the garden,” will showcase local herbs and dishes made with these herbs at various stands for visitors from April 18-21. Famous chefs will present and educate at the festival, which will also feature experiential activities in the field of gastronomy along with concerts by renowned artists.
The Alaçatı Herb Festival, well-known throughout the country, is expected to attract over one million visitors to Çeşme this year. Tourist facilities in Çeşme, which reached a 100% occupancy rate during the Ramadan holiday, aim to sustain the early start of the season with the festival’s buzz. Yakup Demir, President of the Çeşme Touristic Hoteliers Association (ÇEŞTOB), stated that the herb festival organized in Alaçatı is one of the first of its kind in Turkey, serving as an example for similar festivals in many cities. Demir explained that visitors to Alaçatı not only experience the architectural and natural beauties of the region but also get to taste Aegean flavors, with over 40 herbs unique to the Aegean being showcased. These flavors are prepared in homes and the festival is held in April when the herbs are growing, significantly energizing Çeşme’s tourism and boosting occupancy rates.
Demir reiterated that Çeşme is ready for the herb festival and efforts are being made to give the festival an international dimension in the future. Reflecting on the positive impact of festivals on tourism, he emphasized that festivals act as a remedy for the industry, supporting people to choose these areas for vacations and subsequently increasing occupancy rates in hotels. With 15-16 thousand open hotel beds in Çeşme, the resorts experienced full occupancy during the Ramadan holiday. As for the herb festival, current occupancy rates are already at 70%, and it is expected to reach 70-80% during the weekend.
Demir highlighted that Çeşme will surpass last year’s tourism figures this year, with promising early booking numbers. He assured that the pricing of accommodations is fair, with a significant increase of nearly 60% in early bookings compared to last year. The efforts to maintain reasonable prices and cater to the domestic market have been successful, as shown by the positive response from visitors. Çeşme is gearing up for a successful tourism season, with festivals like the Alaçatı Herb Festival playing a vital role in attracting visitors and boosting the local economy.
