The “towel movement”, which began on the Greek island of Paros, spread to Turkey. Crowds of residents are protesting against the occupation of the beaches by entrepreneurs who sell sunbeds to tourists above all regulations, Turizm Ajansi writes.
Turkiv is outraged that the beaches, which should be open to the public according to the law, are leased to private companies and closed for free use. First of all, residents of the regions on the coast of the Aegean Sea are dissatisfied. Since the beginning of the summer season, protests have been taking place in Datcha and Cheshma.
Initially, the “Towel Movement” appeared on the Greek island of Paros, where people were outraged by the inability to come to their native beach to relax on their towels due to the lack of free space. Later, protests spread throughout the country. Activists oppose the unlicensed work of entrepreneurs on the beaches and the placement of umbrellas and sunbeds in more places than stipulated by the regulations.
Now the “Towel Movement” has spread to Turkey. In Azmak Bay, located in İzmir’s Cesme district, on August 12, people called out: “We protect our beaches! There will be an action called “Take your towel and come.” And a joint statement issued by the Güçlüçek Bay Conservation Association, the Güzelbahçe Culture, Environment and Improvement Association, Izmir Housing, Çeşme Ecological Platform, and the Stop the Looting of the Peninsula Platform contains a call to action.
The statement reads: “We oppose the occupation of our coasts and beaches by private business, especially hotel and beach club capital, with the connivance of governments and municipalities. However, all the shores belong to people. In particular, municipalities are responsible for supervising all beaches that the hotel capital has banned for the public. However, municipalities and official institutions do not check beach access and beach service fees, and keep beaches closed to visitors.”
In Izmir, there are 63 beaches with the blue flag, which is awarded for the highest water quality. Of these, 21 beaches are open to citizens and are considered public. In Cesme, 11 out of 14 beaches marked with a blue flag are occupied by private enterprises. About 50 beach clubs. These businesses charge excessive prices to their customers. Some hotel operators allow visiting closed beaches only to their customers. The cost of entry there starts from 400 lira, or $15 per person, and exceeds 1000 lira, or $37. Most of them must spend within 1500 lire, or $55.