The “Alanya Surfing Days Project,” implemented by the Alanya Association of Tourism Professionals (ALTİD) and included within the scope of the Western Mediterranean Development Agency's (BAKA) "2012 Financial Support Program for the Development of Alternative Tourism," continues. In this context, project volunteers, who held a press conference at the Alanya Sun Hotel, emphasized that Alanya's winter tourism will gain a different dimension through sports.
ALTİD PROVIDED SUPPORT
Hayri Yenialp, a voluntary supporter of the project and an Alanya Surf Team athlete, stated that a great contribution would be made to Alanya's winter tourism, saying, “The wave surfing championship, which will be held for the 2nd time in Türkiye, will take place in Alanya. With the BAKA budget we received through ALTİD, we have brought an important project to Alanya within the scope of sports tourism. With this project, we will diversify Alanya's winter tourism.”
THE SECOND ONE WILL BE HELD IN ALANYA
Stating that the '2nd Turkey Surfing Championship' will be held in Alanya for two days between December 26 and January 8, Yenialp said, “The importance of this championship for Alanya tourism is very great. Athletes will also come to Alanya from America and European countries. Since it is of the nature of a Turkish championship, nearly 30 athletes, mainly from Turkey, will come to our region. Most of these athletes will be surfing in Alanya for the first time.”
'OUR NUMBER OF ATHLETES IS ABOVE THE AVERAGE'
Stating that although surfing in Alanya has been developing, it has been brought to a better point with the project, Yenialp noted that the number of athletes in Alanya has already exceeded the Turkish average. Mehmet Özgen from the Alanya Surfing Team spoke in the following manner: “This championship will make a great contribution to winter tourism. It will hold an important place in the sports dimension of Alanya's promotion.”
'OUR GOAL IS TO SPREAD IT ACROSS THE COUNTRY'
Mehmet Ali Soy, a project volunteer from the Alanya Surf Team, who provided information regarding how surfing began in Alanya, stated the following: "I first started this sport in 2009 and thought that this sport could also be practiced in Alanya. My research proved me right on this matter. It was very important that the wave standard in Alanya was at the same level as the countries that have taken this sport to a certain point abroad. The feasibility of practicing this sport in Alanya is very high, especially during the winter period. Our goal is to ensure that this sport is practiced more extensively throughout the country, starting from Alanya. Looking at Turkey as a whole, we see that this sport has reached a certain level in Istanbul and the Black Sea region."
'WE WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT'
Mehmet Ali Dim, Vice President of the Turkish Journalists Federation (TGF) and President of the Alanya Journalists Association (AGC), also stated that despite Alanya having a coastline on the Mediterranean, it is one of the most inadequate cities in the region regarding water sports. Noting that surfing is practiced in Antalya and Side, Dim said, “We cannot use the sea as we wish, both in a sporting and commercial sense. However, in the meeting held here today, we saw that a handful of volunteers have truly dedicated their hearts and efforts to Alanya and have brought the second wave surfing competition to be held in Turkey to Alanya. I am one of the 3-4 people who were part of the committee when the first triathlon was held in Alanya in 1991. I saw that excitement back then. Triathlon started just like this. It was a small spark. In the 22-23 years that have passed, Alanya triathlon has reached an incredible point. While the '2nd Turkish Wave Surfing Championship' is being discussed here, I predict that international organizations will also be discussed here within a few years. As Alanya media, we are ready to do our part. We will provide the necessary support. We desire all businesses, both touristic and commercial, to stand behind this organization. I offer my thanks to ALTİD, BAKA, and the volunteer members of the Alanya Surf Team who contributed to the realization of this organization,” he spoke.