That local boy would be St. Paul, and his hometown of Tarsus evidently plans to get into the act for the recently-announced Year of St. Paul:

Pope Benedict has declared 2008 the year of Saint Paul and so preparations gained speed in Mersin’s Tarsus district, Saint Paul’s birthplace, and an area recognized as a place of pilgrimage by the Vatican.

Tarsus District Administrator Abdulhamit Erguvan said 2008 was an important year for the city to gain recognition around the world and was happy that Pope Benedict would mention Tarsus as the birthplace of Saint Paul in his speeches during ceremonies. He said many tourists would participate in the activities that will be held throughout the year. “You cannot make such a an effective promotion even if you spend $100 million. There is no well-arranged hotel in the city for tourists to accommodate. That is why activities will not bring high economic yield. Our goal is to make tourists pleased and invest in the future of the city,” he said.

Tarsus Trade and Industry Chamber Chairman Mehmet Karagözlü said despite Tarsus having an ancient structure, the lack of basic facilities caused problems. He also mentioned the lack of hotels in the city and said: “The plans include opening some old Tarsus houses which have been restored, as boutique hotels, but we have not started working yet. We seek support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The year of Saint Paul year is a very good opportunity for us and our main goal is to create a good image.”

The photo above depicts a street in scenic downtown Tarsus. You can read more about Paul’s hometown right here.