No hotel for nudists in southern Turkey

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The first nudist hotel in Turkey, which opened May 1 in the Datça district of the southern province of Muğla, will close due to a lack of legal documents, Dogan News Agency reported Friday.

Adaburnu Gölmar Hotel's foreign marketing representative Ahmet Koşar said the legal documents issue broke out April 30.

In order to be granted the establishment license that allows the company the run a hotel, the architectural project must comply with the original sketches permitted to housing authorities. Due to slight differences in the original plans, authorities rejected a housing license, which is a precondition for acquiring an establishment license, according to legal practice in Turkey.

Ahmet Koşar said: "We corrected the changes demanded by the housing authorities. Provided that we apply for our housing license, we will be able to apply for a tourism facility license." However, because of the ongoing procedures of the housing directorate, the hotel administration could acquire neither the tourism facility license nor the establishment license. The lack of these resulted in the order from the district's Governor's Office for the termination of all activities.

District Gov. Mustafa Kaya said the hotel should not have been allowed to host customers without completing their legal documents. Datça Mayor Şener Tokcan said their office could not grant the establishment license only due to the lack of a housing license. Koşar said the hotel would appeal.

http://www.hurriyetd...ists-2010-05-09

In a related story:

WINNIPEG — Some nudist resorts are closing and membership numbers declining, but those who drop their clothes say that's no reason to go undercover.

In fact, naturists, as they prefer to be known, insist that their hobby is alive and well. It's just adjusting for the 21st century.

"I hear old naturist club owners, those same ones that are failing, complaining that people aren't the way they used to be," Stephane Deschenes, spokesman for the Federation of Canadian Naturists, said in an interview.

"That's true. You can either complain or you can adjust."

The latest casualty is the Crocus Grove Sun Club, which for 40 years was based out of a 100-site campground northeast of Winnipeg. Last month, owners Ray and Susan Ryynanen announced they were changing over to a regular campground to compete with others in the area.

"On any given weekend last summer, the various members of the Manitoba Association of Campgrounds and Parks were full ... and we weren't," Susan Ryynanen said. "We're down to 20 (full-season) campsite rentals."

Members of the Crocus Grove club have said poor marketing and mismanagement were to blame for the declining turnout. But Ryynanen said naturists no longer feel the need to gather in an official resort to shed their clothes. With just a few clicks of a mouse, naturists can find a beach or park where being nude is tolerated -- and there's no rental or membership fee required.

"A number of people have said, 'Well, the beach is free,' and as a business, we certainly can't compete with that," she said.

Last year, the Glen Echo Family Nudist Park north of Toronto told its members that the property was being sold and clothing would be mandatory.

But enthusiasts insist the future is bright.

"When naturism started in Canada ... the expectation in terms of amenities was minimal," Deschenes said. "Camping meant a tent. Today camping means a trailer. It means you want electricity, you want running water and sewage."

Deschenes said having more two-income families in Canada means people, nudists or not, are too busy to rough it, and want some level of campground comfort. He bought the Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park in Sharon, Ont., three years ago. Since then, its membership has grown to 500 from 135.

"A lot of these clubs that are closing now are older clubs that haven't kept up with the times."

Deschenes concedes that membership levels have dropped in naturist federations in Canada and the United States in recent years, but believes that's because information about naturism is more widely available.

"It used to be that the only way to find out where (nudist) clubs were was to belong to a federation. The Internet has meant you don't need to buy a guide and you can find all the information you want without ever going through a federation."

For now, Crocus Grove members in Manitoba are searching for a new home. They plan to buy their own piece of land and run a resort themselves.

"It is a niche market, we'll admit that much," said enthusiast John Kundert. "But we're far, far from having a situation where the numbers are in decline."

http://toronto.ctv.c...=TorontoNewHome

[The_Dude 1,142]

The first nudist hotel in Turkey, which opened May 1 in the Datça district of the southern province of Muğla, will close due to a lack of legal documents, Dogan News Agency reported Friday.

Adaburnu Gölmar Hotel's foreign marketing representative Ahmet Koşar said the legal documents issue broke out April 30.

In order to be granted the establishment license that allows the company the run a hotel, the architectural project must comply with the original sketches permitted to housing authorities. Due to slight differences in the original plans, authorities rejected a housing license, which is a precondition for acquiring an establishment license, according to legal practice in Turkey.

Ahmet Koşar said: "We corrected the changes demanded by the housing authorities. Provided that we apply for our housing license, we will be able to apply for a tourism facility license." However, because of the ongoing procedures of the housing directorate, the hotel administration could acquire neither the tourism facility license nor the establishment license. The lack of these resulted in the order from the district's Governor's Office for the termination of all activities.

District Gov. Mustafa Kaya said the hotel should not have been allowed to host customers without completing their legal documents. Datça Mayor Şener Tokcan said their office could not grant the establishment license only due to the lack of a housing license. Koşar said the hotel would appeal.

http://www.hurriyetd...ists-2010-05-09

In a related story:

WINNIPEG — Some nudist resorts are closing and membership numbers declining, but those who drop their clothes say that's no reason to go undercover.

In fact, naturists, as they prefer to be known, insist that their hobby is alive and well. It's just adjusting for the 21st century.

"I hear old naturist club owners, those same ones that are failing, complaining that people aren't the way they used to be," Stephane Deschenes, spokesman for the Federation of Canadian Naturists, said in an interview.

"That's true. You can either complain or you can adjust."

The latest casualty is the Crocus Grove Sun Club, which for 40 years was based out of a 100-site campground northeast of Winnipeg. Last month, owners Ray and Susan Ryynanen announced they were changing over to a regular campground to compete with others in the area.

"On any given weekend last summer, the various members of the Manitoba Association of Campgrounds and Parks were full ... and we weren't," Susan Ryynanen said. "We're down to 20 (full-season) campsite rentals."

Members of the Crocus Grove club have said poor marketing and mismanagement were to blame for the declining turnout. But Ryynanen said naturists no longer feel the need to gather in an official resort to shed their clothes. With just a few clicks of a mouse, naturists can find a beach or park where being nude is tolerated -- and there's no rental or membership fee required.

"A number of people have said, 'Well, the beach is free,' and as a business, we certainly can't compete with that," she said.

Last year, the Glen Echo Family Nudist Park north of Toronto told its members that the property was being sold and clothing would be mandatory.

But enthusiasts insist the future is bright.

"When naturism started in Canada ... the expectation in terms of amenities was minimal," Deschenes said. "Camping meant a tent. Today camping means a trailer. It means you want electricity, you want running water and sewage."

Deschenes said having more two-income families in Canada means people, nudists or not, are too busy to rough it, and want some level of campground comfort. He bought the Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park in Sharon, Ont., three years ago. Since then, its membership has grown to 500 from 135.

"A lot of these clubs that are closing now are older clubs that haven't kept up with the times."

Deschenes concedes that membership levels have dropped in naturist federations in Canada and the United States in recent years, but believes that's because information about naturism is more widely available.

"It used to be that the only way to find out where (nudist) clubs were was to belong to a federation. The Internet has meant you don't need to buy a guide and you can find all the information you want without ever going through a federation."

For now, Crocus Grove members in Manitoba are searching for a new home. They plan to buy their own piece of land and run a resort themselves.

"It is a niche market, we'll admit that much," said enthusiast John Kundert. "But we're far, far from having a situation where the numbers are in decline."

http://toronto.ctv.c...=TorontoNewHome

Do you subscribe to some sort of nudist newsletter Bill?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Nope. Just Google.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Nope. Just Google.

What on earth were you searching on google that these stories popped up?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

http://www.google.co...tbo=s&tbs=nws:1 Edited May 13, 2010 by ##########

[Darnell 8,478]

There's some nice islands just west of Turkey, clothing optional. What's with the p|ssing and moaning? Come on - don't be geographically challenged - call yer travel agent today !