Turkish and German universities launch ecotourism project in Izmir

Academics from Izmir Katip Celebi University and Germany’s Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt are conducting a joint project titled “Ecotourism as an Alternative to Turkish Mass Tourism.” Supported by TÜBİTAK and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the initiative aims to promote sustainable tourism in the Bornova district of Izmir.

The research delegation visited the Yeşilova Mound Visitor Center and the Homer Caves in the Kayadibi neighborhood. Archaeologist Dr. Mehmet Akif Erdem noted that historical data suggests the poet Homer compiled his epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, within these caves, stating that archaeological findings align with the geographical descriptions found in the texts.

Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki emphasized that ecotourism serves as a vital alternative to the environmental pressures caused by mass tourism. He stated that the goal is to protect the region's flora, endemic diversity, and historical fabric while creating new employment and development models for local residents through sustainable practices.