Earthquake alarm in hotels in Alanya: Tourists demand safe hotels!

Ahead of the tourist season, Emrah Yılmaz, the Chairman of the Alanya Representatives of the Chamber of Civil Engineers (İMO), explained the necessary actions to prepare hotels for earthquakes, emphasizing the importance of inspections.

In an interview with Alanya Postası, Emrah Yılmaz stated that buildings undergoing renovation before the tourism season should also undergo work to ensure earthquake resistance. He stressed that this issue is particularly important after the February 6 earthquake disaster, which made some tour operators and foreign guests uneasy.

"INSPECTIONS ARE IMPORTANT"

Yılmaz pointed out the importance of inspections, stating: "As is known, Antalya hosts over 15 million local and foreign tourists annually, with about a third of them visiting Alanya. Tourism is the locomotive industry of Alanya. Many of our hotels are five-star. However, can we say that our tourism facilities are also five-star when it comes to resistance to earthquakes, fires, and natural disasters? Unfortunately, we have concerns in this regard. Many tourism facilities in Alanya were built before 2000, and we know that their earthquake performance falls short of the required values set by regulations."

"CERTIFICATES SHOULD BE FROZEN"

Yılmaz emphasized that the inspection and modernization of tourism facilities for earthquake and fire resistance are crucial not only to meet standards but also to maintain the city's reputation. Even minor earthquake damage can negatively affect the image of Alanya and lead to bad publicity, especially during the summer season when hotels are full.

"HOTEL OWNERS MUST BE EDUCATED"

Yılmaz also stated that hotel owners must be informed, and relevant authorities must conduct regular inspections. "All hotels need to be equipped with passive fire extinguishing systems. These systems can automatically extinguish fires where they start and prevent their spread," he said, adding that the costs of reinforcing buildings are minimal compared to the renovation work done every 3-5 years.

"MANDATORY STRENGTHENING"

Yılmaz emphasized that hotels that are not resistant to natural disasters should have their operating licenses revoked. In the case of earthquakes and other disasters, if buildings are not prepared, the consequences can be catastrophic. He also noted that the changes published in the Official Gazette on January 13, 2024, should be implemented, and hotels built before 2000 must undergo modernization to improve their resistance.