Coastal resorts experience visitor surge on 1st day of Eid

The first day of Eid al-Adha has witnessed a mass exodus from urban centers as vacationers flocked to coastal resorts to relish their holidays.

Commencing on June 16, the special day for Muslims saw many individuals attending Eid prayers at mosques and engaging in traditional greetings early in the morning. Many upheld the holiday custom by visiting their families and close relatives.

Although the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice, traditionally spans four days, its extension to nine days has prompted many in the country to make travel plans.

With the sweltering weather and the extension of the holiday into a nine-day vacation, many opted for travel. In particular, the southern coastal beaches of the country experienced a surge in activity.

In Bozcaada, a prominent tourism hub in the northern Aegean Sea, the occupancy rate of accommodation facilities hit 100 percent, with the Bozcaada mayor, along with tourism stakeholders, advised against visiting the island without prior reservations.

The Mediterranean province of Antalya saw a staggering influx of approximately 5,000 vehicles per hour, as over 1 million tourists anticipated the holiday time. The city's accommodation reached full capacity, with projections suggesting that Antalya's population of 2.7 million will swell to 4 million in the coming days.

İzmir's Çeşme district welcomed over 1 million vacationers, with hotel reservations nearing 80 percent and predicted to reach full capacity throughout the holiday.

Bodrum faced traffic congestion stretching for miles, with vehicles taking 55 minutes to traverse a 5-kilometer distance. The population of Bodrum surged to 1 million, with 175,000 vehicles entering in the last three days, expected to...