International tourism arrivals expanded by 6% in 2007, to 898 million international tourist arrivals, as compared to 2006. Turkish tourism has out-performed the globe growing 18% hosting 26.3 million international tourists in 2008. Today, Turkey is European's leading destination.
Turkey with its enormous tourism potential and a great diversity of its natural resources, historical treasures, cultural heritages, attractions and with its efficient, dynamic tourist industry offers wide selection of products that can satisfy the demand of different market segments including the most sophisticated and demanding travelers.
Over the last two decades, Turkey has made considerable investments on infra and super structure. In addition to the international airports in the main cities and resort destinations, the country has domestic flights to all major cities and tourist centers. The transport infrastructure and the efficiency of services as well as advanced communication network system meet all the requirements of contemporary tourism.
The accommodation industry at present, includes a range of facilities from the top quality, super modern deluxe category hotels and holiday complexes, boutique hotels to the price for value accommodation. Although city hotels, summer resort hotels and holiday complexes constitute the greater part of the accommodation industry, there are numerous ski, winter resort and spa hotels across the country.
Recently Turkey has been recognized as a country of international reputation for hosting the most important meetings and conventions of the world. The annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank group will be held in Istanbul in 2009. In addition to the top quality convention centers of huge capacity, equipped with advanced technology; most high grade hotels also have facilities for events such as meetings and conventions.
Lures of the major cities and resort centers; world famous Turkish cuisine as well as international ones, restaurants, bars, entertainment life, cultural activities can appeal to tourists from all over the world.
With its 301.000 square miles area, Turkey is a land of temperate climate and infinite variety, ranging from coastal plains to mountain pastures, from cedar forests through to sweeping steppes. It is one of the world's richest botanical areas, housing over 10,000 species of plants, 3,000 of which are endemic to Turkey. Indeed, there are more species in the area of Istanbul than in all of Britain.
Lapped by a total of four seas, its 5,000 miles of coastline include some of the best preserved beaches of the Aegean and Mediterranean. It is a growing destination for trekkers, with the grandest of its snowcapped mountains being the lofty 17,725-foot summit of Mount Ararat. And it is a country of rivers; both the Tigris and Euphrates rise in Turkey.
Turkey's climate ranges widely. The Southeast is dry, while the Black Sea is clothed in mist; the Mediterranean and Aegean areas have mild winters, but the mountainous Eastern Region lives months of snow and severe cold. Generally, Turkey's summers are long, warm, and rainless, while winters bring snow and cold rain.
Sources: healthinturkey.org
