Diyarbakır is preparing for sports tourism after Amed Sportif Faaliyetler’ promotion to the Süper Lig following a 16-year absence. The green-and-red team’s 17 home matches in the league are expected to contribute to the city’s tourism and economy.
Amed Sportif Faaliyetler will host Erzurumspor FK on Sunday, August 16, in its first home match in the Süper Lig. Hotels, restaurants, transportation companies and travel agencies in the city are continuing their preparations ahead of the match.
Diyarbakır’s historical and cultural heritage will come to the fore
The Diyarbakır Walls, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the İçkale Museum Complex, the Ulu Mosque, the Ten-Eyed Bridge, the Syriac Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary, the Surp Giragos Armenian Church and Hasanpaşa Hanı are among the main sites supporters visiting the city can explore.
The opportunity for visiting teams and supporters from different cities to experience Diyarbakır’s historical, cultural and gastronomic heritage is expected to contribute to the city’s promotion.
Tourism representatives assess sports tourism
Serdar Baturay, head of the TÜRSAB Mezopotamya Regional Representative Board, said Amed Sportif Faaliyetler’ participation in the Süper Lig would make a significant contribution to tourism in the region. Baturay said welcoming supporters arriving in the city for away matches in a positive manner would strengthen Diyarbakır’s image.
Baturay said visiting teams and supporters should be welcomed warmly regardless of the score. He noted that showcasing Diyarbakır’s tourist attractions and gastronomy to visitors in person could extend interest in the city to wider audiences.
Deniz Güler, head of the Diyarbakır Hoteliers and Tourism Association, said the promotion to the Süper Lig had brought great joy to the city. Güler said the gastronomy and transportation sectors, along with hotels, were also making preparations, adding that the accommodation sector was ready ahead of the first match.
Güler said the 17 visiting teams and supporters arriving for these matches could contribute to Diyarbakır’s economy. He said supporters staying in the city for one or two days would increase the economic impact of sports tourism.
Güler also said they expected the positive developments following the emergence of the “Terror-Free Türkiye” process to continue making an increasing contribution to tourism in Diyarbakır and the region.
Local businesses are also preparing to welcome supporters
Ali Sait Özkal, a shopkeeper operating at Hasanpaşa Hanı in the Sur district, said they were pleased to host Erzurumspor FK in Diyarbakır. Özkal invited supporters to visit the city and see Diyarbakır’s historical and cultural attractions.
Shopkeeper Abdülaziz Yatkın said Amed Sportif Faaliyetler’ promotion to the Süper Lig had generated excitement in the city. Yatkın said sport could bring people from different provinces together and that the development would contribute to Diyarbakır’s promotion and economy.
Maria Nica / Editor
