Ancient archeological venues will be visited at night. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced plans to introduce night museums, including those in the ancient city of Hierapolis. During an event where Turkey’s tourism figures 2023 were disclosed, and expectations for 2024 were outlined, Ersoy highlighted the country’s record-breaking tourism performance in 2023 and underscored the importance of night museums for sustainable tourism.
Under the night museum project, the ancient city of Hierapolis and the ongoing work at Pamukkale Travertines will extend their visiting hours until midnight.
Ersoy emphasized the need to draw tourists out of hotels, especially in historical locations near tourism hubs, advocating for year-round hosting of tourists. He announced the imminent start of night museum activities, with plans to expand the initiative to all 81 provinces of Turkey.
Archaeology is regarded as a vital asset in this initiative, and ongoing efforts have been completed, including the lighting of the ancient city of Ephesus. Current efforts are focused on illuminating the ancient city of Hierapolis. Ersoy acknowledged the preference of tourists in coastal areas to explore at night, particularly after sunset, especially during the summer when high temperatures discourage daytime excursions.
Pamukkale and Hierapolis, which welcomed 1,990,786 visitors in 2022, increased to 2,195,454 visitors in 2023.
