Antalya outside the conference area... COP31 road

I took the tram from Antalya Museum station at 08.30 in the morning. COP31 participants from all over the world filled the tram from Muratpaşa station, the heart of Antalya. From here on, I witnessed participants waiting for a vehicle to go to the conference area for 15 stations. After a journey that took about 1.5 hours, I was able to reach COP31 station.

TRANSPORTATION BY BUS IS MORE DIFFICULT

When I chose to travel by bus instead of tram, I encountered a much more difficult journey. Due to the narrowing of the roads leading to the conference area, traffic almost came to a halt, especially after Aksu. Nurettin Şengün, Head of Transportation Department of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, stated that they are aware of the density and said, "The tram line is the fastest option to reach the area. We are adding machinery to the tram line, taking this detail into consideration."

TAXI DRIVER'S EXPECTATION

Representatives of the transportation sector also draw attention to the problems they experience. Mehmet Ali Alkan, President of Antalya Chamber of Drivers and Automobiles, said, "The effect created by the conference, of course, made our taxi drivers happy. However, our vehicles cannot pass to the Belek hotel area. We cannot take the tourists who come for holiday to their hotel." Antalya Bus Drivers, Tradesmen and Craftsmen Chamber President Yasin Arslan stated that there was a serious congestion in the city traffic due to the organization.

CITY CENTER IS MOVABLE

Despite the problems experienced in transportation, COP31 created dynamism in the city center, especially in terms of accommodation and trade. The common expectation of the tradesmen I met in Kalekapısı is that foreign participants who come to Antalya for the conference will spend more time in the city center and that this dynamism will be reflected in shopping. Hasan Kilit, President of Kalekapısı Tradesmen Empowerment and Development Association (KALEDER), said, "This organization is a great chance for our city. There has already been a certain movement in the city center. We hope that this movement will increase further during the COP31 process."

Nurettin Şahin, one of Kaleiçi shopkeepers, said, "The intensity has begun. Almost everyone walking around the center has COP31 cards around their necks. We hope that this intensity will increase in the coming days and contribute to small tradesmen."

HOTELS ARE FULL

Kaan Kavaloğlu, President of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB): "We are hosting a world-class organization. We did not have the slightest problem with accommodation as of the second day of the conference. Although our foreign guests who are not COP31 participants complain about the traffic, hosting such organizations is a unique opportunity." Özcan Sucu, President of Antalya Boarding House Owners Chamber: "Almost all of our facilities in the city center are full. The majority of our guests are foreigners. They both participate in COP31 and visit the city center whenever they have the opportunity. This organization was a very different experience for all of us."