The accommodation facilities in Sinop's Gerze district, which has been recently granted the title of "Cittaslow" (slow city), reached 100 percent occupancy prior to the summer season.

Gerze, which was declared one of the 14 calm cities of Turkey about four months ago since it preserves its natural and cultural values and maintains its traditional characteristics, has become a favorite sight-seeing spot for both local and foreign tourists.

Gerze Mayor Osman Belovacıklı told Anadolu Agency that they applied for membership to the International Cittaslow Association three years ago.

Mayor Belovacıklı stated that the title of "Cittaslow" has its advantages but it is also important to use them wisely, adding that people now want to spend their holidays in a quiet and calm environment.

"Now we have added the title of 'Cittaslow.' We know that being a calm city is not enough for tourism alone. We are aware that we have things that need to be done, but even now, we are starting to reap the fruits of this title now that calm cities around the world have found their place in travel guides," Belovacıklı said, stressing that the city offers a nice holiday opportunity to people with its natural beauty, historical structure and other distinct features.

He said that the accommodation facilities in the district are already full with the summer season almost here, and that the bed capacity of the district remains insufficient.

"Even though we are at the beginning of the summer season, our accommodation facilities in our district have reached 100 percent occupancy rate. There is an increase in demand compared to the previous years. We now have the obligation to build new accommodation facilities in our city," he continued.

"We currently have a 400-bed capacity. We believe this figure is very low. For this reason, we should enter into the process of getting prepared for upcoming accommodation requests," he added.

Inviting investors to the city, Mayor Belovacıklı promised to provide them with all kinds of support as the municipality.

"We must solve this problem in the calm city of Gerze," he said.

He went on to say that they first promise peace to those who will visit the district, in which people spend their lives safely in harmony and peace.

Suggesting that the district has advantages in terms of natural beauty, Belovacıklı said, "We are a district that has sea, sand, sun and greenery all together. We already have God-given natural beauties. All we have to do is to protect our natural structure and historical beauties just as it is stated in the 'Cittaslow' criteria. As long as we continue to revive our traditional handicrafts and protect our historical texture and natural structure, the number of visitors will continue to increase each passing year."