Thanks to the “Apricot Flower Festival”, which is inspired by the tourism activity of the cherry blossom season in Japan, tourists coming to the city will be able to stroll through the apricot gardens in white bloom.
Known as the “capital of apricot in the world”, Malatya will bring the visual feast formed by the blossoming of apricots to tourism with the “Apricot Flower Festival”.
The natural beauty created by Malatya apricots, which received the European Union geographical indication certificate, in the gardens during the blossoming period, is preparing to open up to the world with the festival to be held in the city.
In spring, the gardens by Karakaya Dam Lake, where apricot trees first bloom in the city, almost turned white.
The apricot gardens, which offer a visual feast in the city, where there are nearly 9 million apricot trees, have become a favorite place for photography lovers.
With the Apricot Blossom Festival, which is inspired by the tourism activity of the Cherry Flower Festival in Japan, the tourists coming to the city will visit many historical sites such as Arslantepe Mound, which is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Tentative List, while walking under the white apricot flowers.
30 travel agencies invited to the city
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Malatya Tourism Gastronomy Promotion Association Chairman Mehmet Zeki Saygi said that the city is known as the “capital of the apricot in the world” and that a perfect image emerged with the blossoming of millions of apricot trees.
Saygi said, “Because of the new type of coronavirus, people have been at home for a long time, and we thought ‘life begins with apricot flowers, life blooms with apricot flowers’ and we thought of organizing the Apricot Flower Festival.” and he added saying that they invited 30 leading travel agencies of the country to the city in cooperation with the Governorship of Malatya, Metropolitan Municipality, Battalgazi, Yesilyurt and some municipalities.
“We will do very nice events in accordance with the epidemic. We will hold photo contests with selfies. We kept the festival a little distant and in small numbers due to the epidemic. Mount Nemrut is very close, Arslantepe Mound is one of the important historical tourist attractions. There is Darende as religious belief tourism. This is an ancient city. Each year, the Cherry Blossom Festival is held in Japan and they advertise it very well to the world. Millions of tourists just go to see this cherry blossom. Orange Blossom Festival is held in Adana. We started the Malatya Apricot Flower Festival.”
Social media influencers will also visit the city
Emphasizing that the city is also assertive in the field of gastronomy with its unique dishes, Saygi said, “Our festival, which will start on March 19, will last for 3 days. We also called social media influencers with millions of followers. The blossoming period of the apricot lasts for about a month. It blooms in the first Kale district, then it blooms in high altitude areas. Malatya becomes a white paradise. Now apricots have blossomed in Battalgazi district, there is a historical Ulu Mosque and a caravanserai. God has bestowed beauties on Malatya with its history, gastronomy and agriculture. People should come, let these beauties walk around in poppies, take selfies, there are very beautiful apricot gardens around Karakaya Dam Lake, let them take pictures, let them immortalize their memories.”
Source: AA / Translated by Irem Yildiz