Public Reaction to Sea Pollution at Alanya's Cleopatra Beach

Sea Pollution at Alanya's Famous Blue Flag Cleopatra Beach Draws Criticism

Sea pollution at Alanya’s world-renowned Cleopatra Beach — one of the city’s most popular tourist destinations — continues to spark strong reactions from both locals and tourism professionals. Locals and beach workers claim the pollution recurs every season, but no concrete measures have been taken to resolve it.

Savaş Yener, who has worked in the beach and tourism sector for nearly 20 years, said similar pollution is observed each year during peak season. “Tourists who visited 20 years ago say the sea used to be crystal clear. Now they ask why it's like this, but we can't give them a clear answer. We suspect the pollution may be airborne or waterborne, but nothing is certain. Sometimes the sea even smells bad,” he explained.

Yener also noted that it’s not just the sea but also faulty beach showers that negatively impact tourists. “Visitors expect first-class service for the money they spend. The sea is dirty, the showers don’t work... When they return to Europe, they leave with a bad impression. This damages Alanya's reputation,” he said.

“Tourists End Up in the Hospital”

Burak Gölgen, a regular beachgoer, emphasized that the pollution poses not only aesthetic but also health risks. “We swim here every day. People constantly complain. Some tourists even end up in the hospital. European TV channels are warning people not to swim here. This harms tourism, and yet no one is taking any action. It’s been going on for months and looks set to continue,” he said.

Locals and tourism professionals believe that such issues should not be happening at an iconic beach like Cleopatra and are calling on authorities to take urgent action.