Muscat – Trabzon, one of the most popular cities in Turkiye with thousands of years of history and innumerable cultural riches, has become one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the transcontinental country.

“It is a safe haven for Omanis who are looking to enjoy family holidays amid nature in a halal way – making it an ideal destination for the upcoming National Day break,” said Trabzon Governor Ismail Ustaoglu during his recent visit to Oman.

Trabzon, located on the ancient Silk Road, is the most important city in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkiye.

“Oman and Turkiye have historical relations and in the recent past, Trabzon has become one of the most preferred destinations for Omanis,” Ustaoglu said, adding, “We feel happy to see Omanis in Trabzon.”

As a governor of Trabzon for four years now, Ustaoglu met many Omanis. “(Following this) I have had meetings with different travel agencies to work on ways to attract more Omanis. We value the needs of Omanis and even the people of Trabzon are happy with Omani tourists. During the course of time, we have made it easy for Omanis to travel to Trabzon.”

Trabzon, the capital of the Trabzon Province, is the largest seaport on the eastern coast and is quite a destination for it being a city with immense historical importance due to its location on the ancient Silk Road.

Today, Trabzon is a modern city that retains its historic appeal and importance. There are several Muslim-friendly facilities in Trabzon that help make holidaying in Trabzon comfortable for Muslim travellers.

“What makes Trabzon stand out is the blend of religions, cuisines, cultures and languages that one can witness there. The comfort of our tourists is important for us and the people there love tourists. Moreover, Omanis and the people of Trabzon are brothers in Islam. In all places, we serve halal food and we also have many mosques,” Ustaoglu, whose Oman visit is the first among the GCC, said.

“My visit to Oman was meant to improve relations. I met H E Salim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism and we have requested the opening of Oman’s tourism office in Trabzon to look after issues related to Omanis there.”

Trabzon’s history dates back to the early days of the Christian Era. Mehmet the Conqueror conquered Trabzon, which has survived the Roman and Byzantine periods, and Suleiman the Magnificent was raised in this city. Trabzon shelters countless tones of green and is rich in terms of vegetation with 2,500 plant species discovered in the city, 440 of which are unique to the area.

“What makes Trabzon unique is its nature,” Ustaoglu said.

Visitors to Trabzon can visit City Museum, the newest and most spectacular museum in the city that makes a great contribution to publicity and sustenance of social life and culture in Trabzon.

Another attraction is the Gülbahar Hatun Mosque built in 1514 in memory of Yavuz Sultan Selim’s mother Gülbahar Hatun.

Uzungöl – located in Çaykara – is one of the most important tourism centres of Trabzon and Turkiye because of its dazzling view as well as highlands and plateaus which are considered among Trabzon’s special travel destinations enjoying global attention.

@shadadm