AYTUGEB is a Tourism Union established under the Unions of Local Governments Act Numbered 5355. Its full name is the Ayvalik Tourism Development and Infrastructure Service Union and its headquarter is situated in the Ayvalik Sub-province. The Cabinet Decision regarding the establishment of the Union was published in the Official Gazette dated October 31, 2009 and the union actively started its operations in the region following this. The Assembly of the Union consists of 18 members and the Union Council is composed of 7 individuals. As required by law, the founding institutions of AYTUGEB are the Special Provincial Administration, the Municipalities of Ayvalik, Kucukkoy, and Altinova as well as Hotels with Tourism Enterprise Certificates. Under the Metropolitan Municipalities Act No. 6360, the Municipalities of Kucukkoy and Altinova were closed and the Special Provincial Administration was transferred to the Balikesir Municipality. In its first meeting held on June 06, 2014, the Assembly of the Union of AYTUGEB took a decision of merger with the Municipality of Edremit. The relevant Articles of the Statutes were amended to this end and the merger was accomplished with the approval of the Balikesir Governor's Office dated June 16, 2014. The President of the Union is Mr. Mesut ERGİN, who is at the same time the Mayor of Ayvalik.