AN UNDERWATER ancient city in Turkey may be opened up to holiday-makers for the first time in 30 years as the Turkish government aims to boost tourism to the country.

The sunken ruins of ancient Simena, which was destroyed by earthquakes during the second century, lie just off the coast the small uninhabited island of Kekova.

Kekova is a small rocky island in the Mediterranean Sea just off the mainland’s Antalya Province — the centre of Turkey’s tourism industry. Kekova also draws great attention from tourists for its clear water and sea creatures and is one of the leading spots for boat tours.

But since 1986, the island’s most curious attraction has been all but closed off for exploration. While it is possible boat or kayak around the area, and dive nearby, underwater exploration has been banned since 1986 as part of a series of measures to protect the lost city’s heritage.

Turkey declared the region a Specially Protected Area in 1990, and in 2000 submitted Kekova to UNESCO for consideration as a World Heritage Site. It currently sits on the organisation’s Tentative List.

UNESCO describes Kekova as “a rarely seen attraction” but a “remarkable example of cultural continuity, and a living cultural assents”.

But now the Antalya Mayor wants to overturn the ban and open it up to a growing diving tourism market.

Applications have been made to the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization for a partial removal of the ban to allow restricted diving under the guide of archaeologists, so as not to damage the sunken ancient city.

“Not only Kekova, but all the coasts of Antalya are rich in terms of archeology. Our efforts to diversify tourism alternatives have begun to bring results and interest in diving tourism has increased,” Mayor Münir Karaloğlu told Turkish news publication, Hurriyet Daily News.

“If permission is received from the ministries, diving tourism will be available with the help of guides and archaeologists in Kekova.”

The ancient underwater city is home to rich historical heritage, including inscriptions with the Lycian alphabet, tombs, the ruins of breakwaters and structures, a rock-carved theatre from the Middle Age, water cisterns, a necropolis of rock tombs and an ancient harbour.

And considering much of the sunken ruins are still high enough that they can be seen from the surface, diving tours won’t be restricted to experienced divers.

Levent Işık of the Kekova Diving Centre says a lift on diving restrictions could transform the island.

“The potential for tourists to dive this site is of great interest to all who wish to find out more about our heritage,” he told the Telegraph.

“Once this ban has been lifted it will have a tremendous impact as many underwater archaeologists and universities will want to come and see more of the secrets that the 4000 year old civilisation had.”