"Dolphinarium plans create major protest"

[cheers]

Brilliant!!  Best news for a while!!

People are heard when the need arises!!

Roll on later for confirmation!!
:D:D

[heather07]

quote:Originally posted by tribalelder

If it is (Insallah) How long before some enterprising Mayor says "here is a nice swimming pool let's built a hotel round it":(

Or is that too cynical[?]

Still better than a salt bath to kill Dolphins in.

[brianthegardener]

they are still working on it today,tuesday 27th, work is still going on constructing the surround. cement walls are now in place, paviours are being layed....no let up on the construction on the site.!!!!

[nichola]

Sorry to take so long to get back on this.

We spent the day working back to the source of the rumour that it was cancelled.

This resulted in a very senior person in Fethiye making a call to the Mayor and the long and the short of it is that it is not cancelled but there are some rather large question marks whether it will go ahead because it is unlikely to meet the very high standards required.

However there are a number of other outcomes as a result of our investigations and some of it is a bit complicated to explain but I will do my best...

1. We have secured a meeting with the Kayamalik (I know this isn't spelt correctly) but he is basically the boss of the Mayors. This is a meeting 'they' said we would never get.

2. We have discovered that all the local tour operators were approached last year to be part of this - all but one refused. The interesting thing is that no one (local tour operators) has been approached to sell this tour and bear in mind that we are one week from the beginning of the season. Everyone is planning their tours and doing their publicity now.

This suggests that tickets for this activity will only be available from one sole tour operator - a local one! This will at least make it easy to boycott in the event that it happens!

It will also soon become apparent who this is when the season starts although the work is not finished so as yet nothing to sell so it may be a while before it is known for sure! I have been on the relevant tour operators web site but nothing about Dolphins!

3.The reason the tour operators were approached is because anything to do with tourists has to go through a licensed travel agency. The owners of the Dolphins need a travel agency on board to proceed.

This has thrown up a couple of other local organisations that could influence the decision making process and these will be visited tomorrow and the findings from these will be shared. This may include us being able to confirm and then name the travel agency/tour operator but I can't guarantee that.

One thing is clear and that is that the govt. bureaucracy is a minefield and the number of organisations potentially involved in having a say just gets bigger and bigger.

However we are not defeated just there is more to do. If after tomorrow or during the week we think there are other agencies that can be emailed where it may make a difference I will share the contact details here. I will report back as and when there is something to say.

[cheers]

Still brilliant news Nichola!!
One question that still keeps coming back to me is if all the local tour operators were contacted last year to sell the tickets why did it take until March to get this ball rolling?

Do you have the e mail address for the 'Head' of the Mayors so we can e mail him?  Obviously there has been enough done by everybody to even get a meeting with him!!

Look forward to hearing any updates from everybody!!

[kaptainkrunchie]

QUOTE "This suggests that tickets for this activity will only be available from one sole tour operator - a local one! This will at least make it easy to boycott in the event that it happens"

WHO WHO WHO is it and let's stuff it right up him!!!!
Boycott the b*****d and let him know why.

By the way, liver was absolutely fantastic on Friday, Nichola.

[nichola]

Lin, I don't know the answer to question 1.

Re the e address I don't know that either but lets wait to see what's said first... than we can pick up on any key issues that come out of that meeting.

I should add that we are repositioning our approach to focus on relevant health and safety issues...

More to come on that when we work up the key points...

Re the sole operator if this turns out to be the case I am sure this will become known soon enough and if we can find this information through an official source then we will definitely name and shame.

Glad you enjoyed the liver

[peecee]

Just a thought and, sorry, rather a negative one.  If there is only one tour operator on board would they (the operator) approach hotels/restaurants/bars etc in Hisaronou/Olu Deniz and ask them to 'promote' it? Leaflets on tables, this sort of thing?
Also, could tickets be bought at the gate on the day?

[cheers]

If they started promoting this around the area, due to the publicity this 'Pond' has got I don't think they would find many hotels/restaurants would agree to do it for them as their businesses could also be affected!!

[cheers]

Nichola I have e mailed you!!