Hollywood director Christopher Nolan's film 'The Odyssey' appears poised to boost international tourist interest in the ancient city of Troy in Çanakkale, Turkey. Prof. Dr. Rüstem Aslan, head of the Troy excavation team, explained that the film recounts the journey home of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, after the Trojan War, and that the production will provide significant support for the promotion of the region.
Prof. Dr. Aslan stated that the Troy Exhibition, opened at the Colosseum in Rome in June through cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Italian Ministry of Culture, had already boosted international interest, and that this interest would be further strengthened by Nolan's film. Noting that the exhibition was one of the most comprehensive Troy exhibitions in recent years and includes artifacts from Anatolian civilizations linked to Troy, Aslan said that the event would contribute to regional tourism in the long term.
Recalling that the 2004 film 'Troy' also boosted interest in Troy, Aslan said, 'We can say without a doubt that this film will also make a major contribution to Troy tourism and interest in Troy.' Aslan added that he watched the film at a special screening in Çanakkale and that Nolan stayed largely faithful to Homer's epic, reinterpreting Odysseus' return journey through the language of modern cinema.
High expectations from the tourism sector
Nilgün Gökser, President of the Çanakkale Association of Touristic Hoteliers, Operators and Investors (ÇATOD), emphasized that the ancient city of Troy, which attracts an average of 400,000 visitors annually, is not only a historical heritage site but also a strong international cultural and tourism brand.
Gökser underlined that the film 'The Odyssey' presents a significant opportunity to introduce Çanakkale's thousands of years of history, cultural richness, and tourism potential to the world. Stating that public institutions, local governments, professional organizations, and the tourism sector must act in coordination to turn this opportunity into lasting destination value, Gökser said, 'Today, the world is talking about the Odyssey. We aim to channel this global interest toward Troy, to Troy's ancient homeland Çanakkale, and to the cultural riches of this unique geography.'
