Photography aficionados have thronged the northwestern province of Edirne to attend the “Lavender Fields Day,” a festival to be held between June 16 and 19, with the occupancy rate of the city hotels hitting 100 percent, the local tourism professionals have said.
The experts estimate that with the start of “The 5th Lavender Fields Day,” apart from local tourists, the city will host daily visitors from neighboring countries, Greece and Bulgaria, too.
Lavender was first planted professionally in the city seven years ago by Tracia Agricultural Research Institute.
As the sale price of a kilo of lavender oil reached 100 euros, the number of the farmers and investors increased and the city turned into a “natural studio” in June each year when the plants blossomed.
“It is aromatic and profitable. So the lands planted expended over time. For five years, we have had a lavender festival,” Gökhan Balta, the provincial head of Turkish Hotel Owners Association told Demirören News Agency on June 15.
“People want to visit the lavender fields on the Karaağaç road mainly,” he added.
The hotel bed capacity in the city is 1,200. “We have no room, I may say,” Balta highlighted.
Mücella Uludüz is a local tourist who will be visiting the lavender fields amid the festival. “I will take many shots and upload those photos on all my social media accounts,” the shutterbug said while smiling.
Hurriyet Daily News