Turkey
The impact of tourism on Turkey's Fairy Chimneys
Name: Hatice Aydine
Age: 72 |
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Hatice Aydine |
When I was 22 years old I saw my first group of tourists. They were all so excited about watching the sunset in Göreme, they were all shouting and laughing. I was working on our farm at that time and was curious as to why they were so excited. I had no idea why these people had come to visit our village.
Before the tourists arrived our town was very different. The valleys were full of fruit trees, vegetables and birds. Each day people would go to the valleys to work on their farms, to collect and apply fertiliser and attend to their animals. The fields at that time were so green and full of life. Nowadays, most people work in tourism, so there are fewer farms in the area.
Tourism is a good business and the town's people have benefited a lot from it. Many people operate pensions and hotels. People make a lot of money from tourism and it employs a lot of people. If you don't work in tourism, life is hard, as there is nothing to do.
Even though people have moved away from their farms, I think tourism has changed our town for the better. The homes and hotels are now in better condition and the roads are paved. I remember how sandy and dusty the town used to be. The roads were awful during the summer as it was like walking on the beach, while in winter it was like walking on quicksand. These changes mean that you won't find as many apple and quince trees when walking through the valleys. On the other hand though, I believe that the town is much more beautiful today than while I was growing up.
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