Turkey expects record number of tourists in 2018

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

Turkey is expecting approximately 38 million tourists this year, Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Wednesday.

“We have very good indicators from early bookings and online reservations. From Germany, we are expecting five million visitors,” Kurtulmus said during his visit to the Turkish pavilion at ITB Berlin tourism fair, the world’s leading travel trade show.

Turkey has been one of the most popular travel destinations for European holidaymakers, but the number of visitors declined in recent years, largely due to the conflict in neighboring Syria.

Kurtulmus underlined that Turkish authorities have taken all necessary measures and tourists can visit Turkey without any security concern.

“We have full security. We have full confidence in our tourism sector,” he added.

Turkey welcomed 32.4 million foreign tourists in 2017. In 2014, the number of tourists visiting Turkey reached an all-time high of 37 million.