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TThe Central Bank of Turkey raised the discount rate from 40% to 42.5% at a meeting on December 21. The regulator is tightening monetary policy for the 7th time as part of the fight against inflation. In November, inflation was 62% year-on-year, the highest in 11 months of 2023. The central bank forecasts a slowdown in inflation to 36% by the end of 2024.

Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Mehmet Nuri Ersoy shared on social networks the news that the number of cultural heritage sites under UNESCO protection in Turkey has increased to 30. "Mastery and playing of the mei" (wind musical instrument), "Iftar and related socio-cultural traditions", "The Art of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay" and "The Art of Illumination" were added to the list. "Turkey has become the second country to register the largest number of sites on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list," Ersoy said.

The Mayor of Alanya, Adem Murat Yudzhel, announced the signing of a protocol on holding a triathlon in Alanya: "We have signed a protocol on holding triathlon races in 2024. The triathlon has become a real symbol of our city. On October 26 and 27, as part of the 33rd triathlon Festival in Alanya, races for the European Cup and the final in Turkey will take place." The signing ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Alanya, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Turkish Triathlon Federation Ender Bash, Deputy Mayor of Alanya Hassan Erdogan, Sports director of Alanya Municipality Levent Ugur and director of the organizing field Kaner Algyun. In total, more than 1,000 athletes will take part in both races.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the kindergarten named after Hatice Rabia Tunjer took place in Jikjilli. The institution, designed for 12 spacious classrooms, will be built with funds allocated by philanthropist Suleiman Tunger and his family with the support of the Alanya Municipality. The ceremony was attended by the head of the Alanya district Fatih Urkmezer, the mayor of Alanya Adem Murat Yudzhel, the director of the Department of National Education Yusuf Yilmaz, heads of institutions, philanthropist Suleiman Tunjer and his family, as well as residents of the city. Yusuf Yilmaz, speaking at the ceremony, noted: "There are 169 schools and kindergartens in Alanya, 108 of which were built by our philanthropists, who are also building hospitals, mosques and other important social facilities. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them."

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who often visits Turkey and has luxury real estate here, paid a bill of 85 thousand liras at a restaurant located in the historical quarter of Anadolu Hisarı in the Beykoz district of Istanbul.Satisfied with the service, Abramovich also left 175 thousand liras in tips. It is reported that the billionaire came to the restaurant with two friends and ordered several types of meat dishes. Chef Emer Ataysin prepared for the guests adana kebab, yağlı kara kebabs, lamb kebab kyushleme and chicken wings."After dinner, Abramovich and his friends left the establishment, accompanied by an army of bodyguards," Turkish media reported.

Mehmet Kemal Bozai, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of European Union Affairs, said that visa applications will be submitted faster in 2024, which will shorten the time for obtaining Schengen visas for Turkish citizens. Bozai said, "Some progress has already been made. For example, if it used to take 3-4 weeks, now in many places the application and appointment process has been reduced to 2 weeks." Bozay said that the Joint Statement on Turkey-EU Relations, prepared by the EU Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrel, will be an important first step in bilateral relations: "The early implementation of the recommendations contained in the Borrell report will be an important first step in relations between Turkey and the EU. We expect all EU institutions to act quickly and take concrete steps in this direction."

The head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thapanee Kiatphaibul, said that they expect the arrival of 2 million tourists in December. Many come here for the winter period and to meet the New Year, including citizens of the Russian Federation, for whom visa-free stay has been extended from 30 to 90 days until April 30, 2024. Starting December 15, nightlife establishments in Chonburi, Chiang Mai and Phuket provinces will be open until 4 a.m. and until 6 a.m. on New Year's Eve. At the same time, police work will be stepped up to ensure the safety of holidaymakers.

Alanya Municipality has started work on the project of a sports complex to be built on an area of 200,000 m in the Elikesik Mahallesi neighborhood of Konakli, which will be the largest complex in the region. The project consists of 3 phases. Phase 1 includes the construction of tennis courts, a soccer field with a capacity of 2500 people, soccer training fields, a building for athletes' accommodation and a complex including conference halls, a restaurant and cafeteria, indoor and outdoor public and sports grounds and 45 rooms for 100 people.

Research company Euromonitor has published its annual ranking of the top 5 most visited cities in the world in 2023. Istanbul was ranked first with 20 million tourists, followed by London in second place (18.8 million tourists), Dubai in third place (16.8 million tourists), Antalya in fourth place (16.5 million tourists) and Paris in fifth place (15.5 million tourists).

As we have already written, in Turkey it is possible to pay an official fee and not to serve in the army. You can read more about it in this post: https://t.me/alanyabrand/3890. From January 1, 2024 the amount of this fee will be increased and will be 183.526 Turkish Liras ($6,322). The monthly fine for failure to report for compulsory service is 1724.29 TL. In Turkey, compulsory 6-month military service applies to all male citizens between the ages of 21 and 41.

According to a regulation published in the Official Gazette of the Ministry of Commerce, all restaurants, cafes and other catering companies will be obliged to place price lists at the entrance to the establishment and on every table. The decree will come into force on January 1, 2024.

iGA Istanbul Airport has won first place in five categories in the Global Traveler Tested Reader's Survey Awards 2023. The airport was the leader in the categories "Best Airport in the World", "Best Airport in Europe", "Best Airport for Shopping", "Best Duty Free Zone" and "Best Restaurant Zone". In the past 11 months of 2023, 200 million people have used Turkish Airlines!