The tourist season for Türkiye is going well and the sector will surpass the targets revised in the middle of the year, Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said, noting the situation in Istanbul.
“After a long break, Istanbul has started to take the top spot among the must-see destinations of the world’s leading travel agencies,” said Ersoy.
According to the minister, Istanbul welcomes guests from all over the world and has become “like the UN,” with hotels filled with tourists of all nationalities.
The situation in Istanbul is a reflection of the growing interest in Türkiye as a holiday destination, Ersoy added.
“In 2019, we established the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) to better promote the tourism potential we have,” he said.
Ersoy added that Türkiye should diversify its tourism markets and products and focus on “quality tourists.”
One such effort is the promotion of the country’s gastronomy.
“One of the results of TGA’s intense promotional activities for Istanbul was getting into the Michelin chain,” said Ersoy.
“They announced Istanbul as their 38th destination in April and will announce the names of the selected restaurants on October 11,” the minister added.
“I sincerely believe that this will support our efforts to position Istanbul as a gastro city. Our next goal is to include Bodrum and Cesme in the guide.”
The Minister also stressed the importance of health tourism.
“Health tourism is important for Türkiye, and necessary investments have been made in infrastructure and hospitals,” Ersoy said.
