Istanbul
Turkey plans to attract devout Muslim tourists by creating alcohol-free zones in major cities. The government, currently led by an Islamic party, first proposed the zones as a moral reform last year, but ran into opposition from the business community. Now the plan is back as a tourism initiative. Ali Bayramoglu, head of the Turkish-Saudi Economic Cooperation Council, told the Istanbul newspaper Vatan that the alcohol-free zones would pay for themselves in increased Saudi investment and tourism. Recent experience, though, indicates otherwise. Some Turkish regions with local governments controlled by Islamists have limited the sale of alcohol and seen local revenues drop precipitously.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
July 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include an extrajudicial detainment camp, 'alligator Alcatraz', and tax cuts for billionaires.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of JulyCartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
