Ayder

The restoration and protection efforts for the picturesque Ayder Plateau in the northeastern province of Rize have been completed, successfully returning this lush green paradise to its former glory, the Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Ministry has announced.

The municipal teams in the northeastern province of Rize have reached a geothermal water source at a depth of 253 meters in Ayder Plateau, one of the famous tourism centers in the region.

Ayder Plateau, one of the most important destinations for tourists in the Black Sea region, awaits visitors for the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday. (AA Photo)

Ayder Plateau in Turkey's Black Sea province of Rize enchants visitors with its picturesque scenery in the winter. (AA Photo)

Huge swings erected in the middle of the touristic Ayder Plateau in Turkey's Black Sea province of Rize will be removed as part of a transformation project, the province's governor has said.

Officials in Turkey's Black Sea province of Rize have identified 11 new spots that will serve as alternatives to the popular Ayder Plateau in the face of strong demand from local and foreign tourists. Click through for the story in photos...

An urban transformation process, run by the state-owned Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ), will begin in the idyllic Ayder Plateau located in the Çamlıhemşin district of the Black Sea province of Rize by the end of this year, the local governor has announced.

Five firms commissioned with preparing a layout for the transformation of the Ayder Plateau in the Çamlıhemşin district of the Black Sea province of Rize will each offer a model to the authorities, with a two-story limit imposed by the government for development in the idyllic area.  

Authorities a preparing to turn the Ayder Plateau in the Çamlıhemşin district of the Black Sea province of Rize into an "attraction center," raising fears of construction projects and environmental destruction in the famously idyllic area.

The Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ) will construct Ottoman-style buildings in the highlands of the Black Sea provinces. 

Illegal buildings in the areas will be demolished and TOKİ will construct arcaded buildings with lifts in their place, including in the famous Ayder Plateau, which is a protected area. The construction process is due to start in spring 2017.