Interest in the ancient city of Troy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Çanakkale, northwestern Türkiye, is expected to grow following the release of director Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," a film adaptation of Homer's epic poem.
Professor Rüstem Aslan, head of the excavation team at the ancient city of Troy, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the mythological action film follows King Odysseus' journey back to Ithaca after the Trojan War and will significantly boost the promotion of the ancient city and the surrounding region.
Aslan said the Troy Exhibition, which opened at Rome's Colosseum in June through a collaboration between Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Italy's Ministry of Culture, has already attracted strong international interest. He said that interest has been further strengthened by Nolan's new film.
Describing the Rome exhibition as one of the most comprehensive Troy exhibitions in recent years, Aslan said it also features artifacts from Anatolian civilizations connected to Troy, which he believes will contribute to the region's tourism over the long term.
Recalling that Wolfgang Petersen's 2004 film Troy also increased global interest in the ancient city, Aslan said, "There is no doubt that this film will also make a major contribution to tourism and interest in Troy."
Aslan said he watched The Odyssey at a special screening in Çanakkale and noted that Nolan remains largely faithful to Homer's epic while reinterpreting Odysseus' homecoming through a contemporary cinematic style.
Nilgün Gökser, president of the Çanakkale Association of Touristic Hoteliers, Operators and Investors (ÇATOD), said the ancient city of Troy, which attracts around 400,000 visitors annually, is not only a site of historical significance but also a globally recognized cultural and tourism brand.
Gökser said The Odyssey presents an important opportunity to introduce Çanakkale's thousands of years of history, rich cultural heritage and tourism potential to an international audience.
"Transforming this opportunity into lasting destination value requires public institutions, local governments, professional organizations and the tourism sector to work together in coordination toward common goals," she said.
"Today, the world is talking about The Odyssey. Our goal is to channel this global interest toward Troy, its ancient homeland of Çanakkale, and the rich cultural heritage of this unique region."
