The Bosphorus stands out amongst #reasonstolikeistanbul. It’s central; spectacular; and every Istanbullu craves a “Boğaz manzarası” (Bosphorus view).
This matters for the Turkish economy. Not only tourists are attracted by great views. Quality of life is a key to attracting the mobile economic talent and inward investment which is vital for any economy.
How can I put this politely? Not every aspiring financial centre has the outstanding natural beauty, or geographical advantages, of Istanbul.
I’ve sent a lot of #reasonstolikeIstanbul tweets about the Bosphorus. A few are here:
Of course it takes more than natural beauty to become a global economic hub. I set out some key issues in my recent blogs Business in Turkey: good news (about the importance of a “level playing field” for all businesses); Creating an environment for foreign investment: what “independent” means (about the importance of the rule of law) and, of course, How to get (even) more investment in Turkey.
But a beautiful natural environment helps!
I’d welcome readers’ suggestions on other aspects of the Bosphorus which are #reasonstolikeistanbul.
PS People have been admiring the Bosphorus for a long time. Russian speakers may recall the elegiac song Никогда я не был на Босфоре (roughly translated as “I never saw the beauty of the Bosphorus”). The song, and the video at the link, are of course a matter of taste.
Follow Leigh Turner on Twitter @leighturnerFCO