page_title: Bodrum
section_title: Economy
hierarchical_section_title: Bodrum / Economy
caption_attribution_description: Marina in Bodrum, Turkey; oiginally: Przystań w Bodrum, Turcja.
context_page_description: Bodrum is a district and a port city in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova, and is also the center of the eponymous district. The city was called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times and was famous for housing the Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 15th century, Bodrum Castle overlooks the harbour and the marina. The castle includes a museum of underwater archaeology and hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year. The city had a population of 36,317 in 2012. It takes 50 minutes via boat to reach Kos from Bodrum, with services running multiple times a day by at least three operators.
context_section_description: During the 20th century the city's economy was mainly based on fishing and sponge diving. Even though naked sponge diving's past can be traced back at least three thousand years in the Aegean region, modern sponge diving started to be prevalent in Bodrum after the Koan and Cretan immigrants settled in the city in the early 20s, after the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. During its golden age between 1945 and 1965, there were close to 150 boats engaged in sponge diving activities in Bodrum. However, due to the sponge diseases, artificial sponge production and ban on sponge diving eventually ended this lucrative industry in Bodrum.
  Over the years, tourism became one of the major activities and main income source of local communities in Bodrum. The abundance of visitors has also enlivened Bodrum's retail and service industry. Leather goods, particularly for traditional woven sandals are well known products in the town. Other traditional goods such as tangerine flavored Turkish delight, Nazar amulets and handicrafts are also main souvenirs that are sold in the city. 
  Apart from small shopping facilities the city hosts some larger shopping centers like Midtown and Oasis. There are also Yacht and small ship accommodation oriented marinas such as Milta Bodrum Marina, D-Marin Turgutreis, and award-winning Yalıkavak Marina.
  The Carian Trail also pass by Bodrum and surrounding Kızılağaç and Pedasa ruins, which attracts hikers both from inside and outside of Turkey.
caption: Milta Bodrum Marina
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