This Week in Alanya : 35
Weekly summary of news in Alanya | March 31 - April 6, 2025.
Hello Everyone! 👋 Samet Çelmeli here.
Welcome to another edition of "This Week in Alanya," where I bring you the latest news and updates from our vibrant city. Let's dive into the highlights:
📰 General News
🛍️ A nationwide shopping boycott took place on April 2 in protest of the arrest of Istanbul’s opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, with widespread calls to avoid purchases and close businesses for the day. The government's strong reaction, labeling it an economic sabotage attempt, signaled growing political tension.
⚡ Electricity prices increased as of April 5, with a 25% hike for residential subscribers. The new rates, introduced due to rising production and distribution costs, also affect public services (+15%), industry (+10%), and agricultural use (+12.4%).
📈 According to TÜİK, rental prices in Antalya and Alanya rose by 51.26% in April, and due to the ongoing housing shortage, no decrease in rents is expected.
🌍 A 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck Alanya’s Emişbeleni village on March 31 at 01:36 AM, occurring at a depth of 12.39 km. No damage or injuries have been reported.
⚠️ Despite a 48 million TL budget being allocated months ago, the ongoing collapses at Alanya harbour area remain unfixed, raising concerns among locals and business owners as the tourism season nears. The municipality claims it lacks authority over the site and is still awaiting action from the responsible authorities.
🛣️ The Turkish government has issued an urgent expropriation decision for certain areas in Alanya, Serik, and Manavgat to make way for the Antalya-Alanya Highway project. Published in the Official Gazette under the Expropriation Law, the decision affects designated neighborhoods where the highway and related infrastructure will be constructed.
🚁 Alanya Municipality has closed down the newly established helipad in the Ulaş area due to unmet tender specifications, resulting in the cancellation of planned air taxi services that were intended to offer tours and transportation to destinations like Cyprus and Bodrum.
🚕 Alanya's taxi fares have significantly increased as of April 2nd, 2025, with the opening fee rising to 35 TL, the per kilometer fee to 50 TL, and the short distance fee to 180 TL, leading to more costly transportation for residents and varied public reactions.
🚨 A school for Russian children with autism in Alanya's Kestel district is under investigation after footage allegedly showing a teacher slapping and scolding a child sparked complaints from Russian parents to the Gendarmerie Command, with officials revealing the school operates without oversight from local education or social service authorities and an investigation team from Alanya District Governorship scheduled to meet with school administrators and parents on Monday.
🌧️ A sudden 10-minute rainstorm in Alanya’s Tosmur neighborhood caused severe flooding, once again highlighting the area’s long-standing drainage issues. Locals and hotel owners are urging the authorities to finally take permanent action, warning that the lack of infrastructure is harming tourism just as the season approaches.
🏗️ Alanya’s Konaklı Wastewater Treatment Plant is undergoing a major renovation to improve efficiency and eliminate unpleasant odors. The 200 million TL project, which includes modernizing the pre-treatment unit with odor removal systems, is expected to be completed by August.
⚠️ Property owners in Alanya have to file their rental income tax returns, with the deadline set for April 7, 2025. Those exceeding the 47,000 TL tax exemption limit must report their rental income, or risk severe penalties for non-compliance, including fines for incorrect or incomplete declarations.
🚔 Traffic and Public Safety
🚨 A driver in Alanya was fined 46,392 TL, and their driver's license was suspended for 60 days after being caught drifting in the Mahmutlar’s Sanayi Street area following a citizen report. The vehicle was also impounded.
🛵 Two separate motorcycle accidents occurred in Alanya, leaving two young riders injured. In Okurcalar, an 18-year-old crashed into a wild boar, while in Güzelbağ, another rider collided with an oncoming car after failing to navigate a curve; both were hospitalized and are under treatment.
🚔 A Syrian man who stole an electric bike from a residential complex in Mahmutlar was caught by the gendarmerie’s JASAT team hiding in an abandoned house, where other stolen items were also found. He was arrested and sent to prison following his court appearance.
🚨 In Alanya’s Mahmutlar neighborhood, a woman was caught stealing alcohol from a chain store. Market employees reported the incident to the Mahmutlar Gendarmerie, and after investigation, the foreign national was arrested and deported following her processing at the station.
🦑 Alanya municipal police discovered 85 kilograms of spoiled fish in a mobile vendor's vehicle during a routine inspection. The fish, stored under unsanitary conditions, posed a serious health risk and were destroyed, while the seller was fined and reported for the violation.
✈️ Tourism
✈️ Jet2 has launched direct flights from Luton Airport (England) to Antalya as part of its new summer routes. Starting from April 1, the airline will operate two flights per week on Tuesdays and Saturdays to Antalya.
✈️ Russian tour operator Sunmar has partnered with Pegasus Airlines to operate direct charter flights between Perm and Antalya for the summer season. The flights will run three times a week from April 27 to October 26, aiming to meet the growing demand from Russian tourists.
📉 Antalya saw a 15% decrease in tourist arrivals during the first three months of the year, with a total of 855,429 visitors. While the number of foreign tourists dropped by 20%, only Poland saw an increase in arrivals, and March recorded a 27.7% decline, particularly from Germany, the UK, and Russia.
🎭 Art & Entertainments
🎨 Alanya Municipality's Barrier-Free Park and Life Center hosted a special art activity at Damlataş Barrier-Free Public Beach on World Autism Awareness Day (April 2), where individuals with autism painted a pre-drawn canvas, expressing their inner worlds through color while sharing the message "Be a light in my world."
📚 The Alanya Cultural Arts and Tourism Foundation (ALSAV) has launched a major project to document Alanya's historical and cultural heritage. The "Alanya Encyclopedia," set to include 4,000 to 5,000 main entries, will provide extensive information on the region's history, tourism, arts, and social life, aiming to preserve and promote the city's cultural identity.
🎬 Here are the movies you can watch this weekend at Alanyum Shopping Mall:
Click on each title to see the movie details in IMDb🏆 Sports
⚽ After a tough loss in the Antalya derby, Alanyaspor is preparing for a crucial home match against Bodrum FK on April 6 at 13:30, aiming to end a four-game winless streak and earn 3 vital points. With new coach João Pereira at the helm, the team hopes to avoid slipping closer to the relegation zone.
⚽ For Alanyaspor's Süper Lig match against Sipay Bodrum FK today at 13:30, students, teachers, and women can obtain free tickets from Passolig.
🏃♂️ The 25th edition of the Alanya Atatürk Half Marathon and Public Run will take place on April 13, 2025. The event will feature races in various age categories, including a 2 km children’s race, with prizes for participants.
🔗 Useful Links
◾ This Week in Alanya - Archive 📚
◾ This Week in Alanya - Facebook Group
◾ Pharmacies on Duty 👩⚕️ (Updates every day)
◾ Antalya Airport ✈ (Arrivals / Departures)
◾ Gazipaşa Airport ✈ (Arrivals / Departures)
◾ Flight Radar ✈ (Displays the plane's live location in real-time.)
◾ Municipal Map 🗺
◾ Official Weather Forecasts ⛅
◾ Pay your Electricity bills online (CK Akdeniz) ⚡
◾ Pay your Water bills online (Asat) 💧
◾ Official Exchange Rates 💱 (You can also find historical exchange rates)
◾ cimri.com & akakce.com 🛒 (Compare and find the cheapest product across various Turkish online shopping sites)
◾ Latest Earthquakes in Turkey 🌍
◾ Documents Required for Short-Term Residence Permit Applications 💳
◾ Market Fiyatı 🛒 (compare the prices of products at supermarkets)
◾ City Cameras 🎥 (Watch Alanya Live through City Cameras)
That's all for this week. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, please subscribe and share it with others. 🙋♂️
Many thanks for all the news. Have a splendid week!
TY Samet. Enjoy your week 🫶🏾