Bursa Poised to Become Center of Tourism, 'Living History' City

Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Recep Altepe said yesterday that Bursa has completed its industrial development and from now on will focus on projects to turn the city into a center of tourism.

Speaking at a press conference organized in İstanbul to promote the Developing Cities Summit, Altepe noted that Bursa, which exports some 10 percent of total Turkish exports and accounts for 20 percent of the country's total production, has done enough industrial development and from now on will invest in the city's tourism sector and support urban transformation projects to attract more tourists. Some 100,000 tourists visit the city annually, the mayor said, adding that their aim is to raise this figure to a million. The municipality no longer issues building permits for construction of industrial facilities in the city, but supports any project in the tourism sector, he added. As a result of their initiative, the construction of more than 10 five-star hotels is currently in progress, Altepe noted, adding that they are also working to move the city's factories to the outskirts of town.

Source: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-194987-real-estate-investors-do-not-expect-recovery-before-2012.html