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All Erzurum residents have expectations for 2011 Universiade
Shop owners believe the economy will be revived by the games and that the event will even change the bad luck many craftsmen have faced here.
One of the store owners who sells Oltu stone, Erzurum’s local black stone, says the games are very important for the economic revival of the city. Bilgin Ertaş, who has been selling Oltu stone for 15 years, believes the newly constructed modern facilities will pave the way for an increase in tourism to the city.
“The games being held in our city is a great opportunity for us. We have prepared souvenirs for the event. I believe Erzurum will be busy after the games, too,” he told the Anatolia news agency.
The tourists’ preferences are a total mystery to Ertaş. He hopes the jewelry he has designed will appeal to their tastes.
“We made various types of jewelry for the 2011 Winter Universiade. We did our best. We prepared souvenir figures for the 2011 Universiade by powdering Oltu stone and mixing it with polyester. … Every year our sales drop during the winter and rise during the summer. Thanks to the games, sales will be good both in the summer and the winter,” he says.
Restaurant owner Muammer Tanhaş believes the games will be a pleasant and successful event for Erzurum. Tanhaş will introduce two of the city’s most renowned foods, cağ kebabı and the kadayıf dolması dessert, to visitors.
He also opened a 250-square-meter restaurant for the games. “We have high expectations from the games. Having invested in 250 square meters of space, I brought the two greats, kadayıf dolması and cağ kebabı, together,” he says.
Wishing Erzurum success, Tanhaş says he hopes the city will leap ahead by an age with the games. “I hope Erzurum does not go back to how things were before 2011 [the Universiade] but that 2011 will cause the city to skip an age. Our expectations are high. I invested because of that,” he adds.
Managers of hotels on Erzurum province’s Palandöken Mountain have been enjoying the increased number of customers ahead of the 2011 Winter Universiade. Polat Renaissance Hotel General Director Gökçe Erendor says they have made all preparations for the 2011 Universiade. She says occupancy rates increased significantly ahead of the games.
Students studying at the city’s Atatürk University (AÜ) are happy about the construction of new sports facilities and dormitories, which are as comfortable as luxurious hotels. Students now think it is a privilege to study at AÜ.
Nuh Tufan Polat, an AÜ student, says he has been to many Turkish skiing resorts but has not seen a better facility than the Palandöken Skiing Center. “As residents of Erzurum, if we can make use of these investments, it will be an investment for the next 50 years,” he says.
Another student, Abdullah Küçükdağlı, argues that the most beautiful facilities in Turkey are on Erzurum’s Palandöken and Sarıkamış mountains. He says his university’s buildings and roads were renovated thanks to the games. “It was already a privilege, but after all this, it will be even more,” he adds.
Expressing her happiness about being a student at AÜ, Elif Taş says the games will contribute immensely to both the city and the university.
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