Tourist hot spot Bodrum on the "Turkish Riviera" is set to become home to a massive complex that will be built with the help of Russian technology, the head of the Russian-Turkish Business Council said Sunday.
The Bodrum Arena project will begin in around five months and will be implemented using a more than 70 million euro ($83 million) investment, Akhmet Palankoev told Anadolu Agency (AA).
In addition to ice hockey rinks and skating areas, the complex will host concerts, open-air shows and events, Palankoev said. It will also employ 300 people.
Pointing out that the project will contribute to sports tourism in Turkey, Palankoev noted that the complex in the Turkish resort city will be completed in 15 months.
"We also want to open a school where young people interested in ice hockey, ice skating and other ice sports can receive education," he added.
The project will be implemented by SportInvest Bodrum that is based on the principle of a public-private partnership with the Municipality of Bodrum, the Bodrum Promotion Foundation BOTAV and several private investors.
Foreign visitors have been showing great interest in Bodrum’s active health care sector and its cultural attractions such as exhibitions and congresses, as well as yacht building and sports complexes.
On Russia’s travel restriction to Turkey, Palankoev said the tourism sector in Turkey has made its preparations and is ready.
He stressed that Turkey is doing its best within the scope of coronavirus measures, and noted: "I have visited Turkey at least 10 times since August. I have been in different regions and I see how serious the Turks are about the pandemic."
"I do not think that Russia took the measures for political reasons," he said, adding that the economic situation between Turkey and Russia is not a competition but a need for each other.
Russia said Friday it will resume flights to Turkey, a popular tourist destination, starting from June 22, thanks to improved anti-COVID-19 measures in the country.
The decision was made amid a visit by Russian experts to Turkey to assess safety measures.
Moscow had in April suspended most air travel with Turkey until June 1, a ban it later extended through June 21.
Economic and trade relations constitute the driving force behind Turkish-Russian relations. Russia has been one of the most important trade partners of Turkey with energy constituting one of the most important elements of the bilateral ties.