Travel News

Turkey to host 23m tourist this year

Turkey is expecting to have more than 23 million visitors grace its shores in 2008, according to Turkish officials.

The country is also expected to earn $19.5 billion and hopes to catch up with tourism champs France, Spain and Italy, which are currently the most popular destinations in Europe.

The Turkish State Planning Organisation (DPT) has said it wants to build on its 18.5 million tourists that visited the country during 2007, while this is still significantly below that of France, which sees 79.1 million tourists each year.

Planners are hoping, however, that its unique quality as a border country for the East and West, as well as its extensive shoreline, will attract holidaymakers and generate about £10 million in tourism revenue.

Turkey is currently rated at number 11 in the world for hosting the most tourists per year and ninth in size of its tourism revenues.

Meanwhile Turkey is in negotiations to become part of the European Union (EU).

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