Turkey set to steal the show at Arabian Travel Market

Turkey, which has been enjoying outstanding reputation as the most favorite travel destination in many countries of the world during the last year, is making another strong presence this year at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2011.

ATM is the Middle East premium event for travel and tourism trade. Turkey's participation follows considerable growth in its tourism sector during the past few years, not only in the context of tourist arrivals from the GCC countries, but from the entire world.

Taking the Middle East in consideration, and as a comparison between years 2009and 2010, the number of tourists visited Turkey from Syria has increased from 390,000 to 748,000. Turkey also has won the most of admire by the Lebanese tourists who have increased from 62,573 to 113,212 tourists. From Saudi Arabia, tourists were increase from 59,954 to 76,152 and from Jordan, number of tourists was increased from 62,573 to 85,988 tourists. Iran has increased from 1,150,000 to 1,649,000 tourists, according to Turkish Consulate in an emailed release.

Sedat Gonulluoglu, Cultural '&' Information Attach at the Turkish Tourism '&' Cultural Office in Dubai, stated that the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has a long term strategy to promote Turkey's unique opportunities of multi tourism purposes, which meets the demands of eastern and western tourists at the same time. "Turkey aims to occupy the first position in making the health tourism industry by year 2023. By having over 1500 medical and therapy centers spread out everywhere in the country, Turkey would be an ideal country for multipurpose visits".