Visit to Samos by the delegation of Seferihisar Municipality

Seferihisar Mayor İsmail Yetişkin led a delegation that visited the municipalities of Karlovassi and Vathi on the Greek island of Samos. The delegation held meetings throughout the day to develop mutual tourism, trade, and diplomacy.

In a statement regarding the visit, Mayor Yetişkin said, “Having our border gate open is one of the most important factors that opens Seferihisar to the world. With the gate visa provided for the Greek islands, Seferihisar has become a transit point for tourists coming from all over Turkey. It is very important to keep the relationships warm both to evaluate this potential and to improve our cooperation in trade and tourism with Samos island. That’s why we came to visit our neighbor.”

First, the delegation visited Vathi Municipality, where they agreed in the meeting that the Ion Route should be added as a tourism destination and take its place in the international market between Seferihisar and Samos. Then, it was decided to hold a meeting where the trade and artisan chambers from both cities would come together to develop trade.

Mayor Yetişkin noted that the developed relationships would open the Greek market to producers and traders in Seferihisar, stating, “Especially in the last 4-5 years, the islands have been experiencing intense interest from Turkish tourists. Thanks to the gate visa, many Turkish citizens are going abroad for the first time in their lives. This is a pleasing situation. On the other hand, this demand also creates a new market for Turkey. To evaluate this potential, we politicians need to be mediators and improve diplomatic relations.”

The mayor requested a solution to the long queues at the Samos Vathi Port, where Turkish tourists are waiting in the sun. He stated, “I expressed our discomfort about the situation to the Mayor of Samos. We said, ‘Thanks to the gate visa application, ships are coming at full capacity. The situation is the same not only in Samos but in all islands. Turkish tourists are waiting for hours in the sun. You need to find a solution to this issue to improve the application.’ They said they would have the necessary discussions with government officials and would find a solution by next year at the latest. I hope a solution is found as soon as possible. We will also take on our responsibilities in this regard.”

The delegation was warmly welcomed at Karlovassi Municipality. The Mayor of Karlovassi, Themistoklis Papatheofanous, expressed his satisfaction with the visit, saying, “We are very happy about our neighboring Seferihisar’s visit. There is always tension in upper politics, but as local politicians, our duty is to think of our people. For this reason, we will always be pioneers in developing our friendship relations. To make this sustainable, we will collaborate on various projects.” Meanwhile, Vathi Mayor Papageorgiou Paraskevas stated, “We started our duties in January, and shortly afterward, our Turkish guests began to arrive. The streets are coming to life thanks to the Turks. The visit of Seferihisar Municipality honored and delighted us. Because being so close to each other without communication is of no benefit to either side.”
Both mayors and their teams indicated that they would participate in the Dionysos Festival, which will take place in Seferihisar on September 28-29.