The port and city of Mersin in south-central Turkey was formerly known as Mersina. It is situated 40 miles (65 km) west-southwest of Adana, close to the Cilician Plain’s most westernmost point and Mediterranean Sea boundary. Near Mersin Turkey, there is an unidentified ancient settlement. Soli-Pompeiopolis, a Roman harbour city, is still visible to the west. According to discoveries in the Yümük Tepesi mound, 2 miles (3 km) north of the present-day harbour, a settlement was fortified there as early as 3600 BCE and once again during the Hittite era of dominance (c. 1750–1200 BCE). However, it was abandoned following the building of Pompeiopolis.
The Russian construction workers of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which is being built in Mersin’s Gülnar district, stayed there while there were no hotels, motels, pensions, or day houses there. At the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Russian workers considerably increase the local economy.
Even if all of the area’s hotels, motels, pensions, and daily rental homes are occupied by working Russians, local tourists who prefer Taşucu, Atakent, Yeşilovack, and Tisan cannot find a place to stay.
It was reported that up to 80% fewer domestic tourists were visiting the area each day and leaving. Ali Küçük, head of the Silifke Tourism Association, has urged investors to build lodging in the region despite the fact that it can be difficult for local tourists to locate housing alternatives.
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Ali Küçük stated that there has been a significant decline in the number of domestic travellers:
“Before the pandemic, we could not catch the domestic tourists much. Together with the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, the Russians settled in our region. Russians stay in hotels, motels and pensions. We live in tourism for 12 months in Silifke. Our compatriots from the Russian and Turkish Republic States working at the power plant chose our region. We could not reach enough crowds in the 3-month period of domestic tourists. They wanted to come to our area, but they couldn’t come when they couldn’t find accommodation. Our domestic tourist rate in Mersin Turkey has fallen between 70 percent and 80 percent, and now those who come come and go every day. No accommodation. There are insufficient number of accommodation in Silifke. We invite investors to our region. We need accommodation.”