According to a TÜROFED tourism report, the first-quarter numbers for 2011 were 17.6 percent rise over last year’s figures of 1.8 million for the same period.

"The first-quarter figures indicate we can easily achieve our year-end target," TÜROFED Chairman Ahmet Barut said at a press conference in Istanbul. Turkey received most of its tourists from Germany, Russia and Britain.

Russian tourist numbers to increase

Turkey is also expecting a 20 percent increase in Russian tourists after the beginning of a visa-free travel regime, Anatolia reported in a separate story.

"Turkey is expecting to receive more Russian tourists this year, an increase potentially as high as 20 percent with the onset of a new visa-free travel regime between the two countries," said Cumhur Güven Taşbaşı, promotion director with the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

The visa liberalization agreement, which was signed during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Ankara in May 2010, went into effect on April 16. Earlier this year, officials from the two countries signed a readmission agreement to move closer to the visa-free regime, which will allow 30 days of visa-free travel to the other country within a 90-day period.

Taşbaşı said Russia was one the most important markets for Turkey and the visa-free regime would also boost the number of Turkish tourists visiting Russia. Over 3 million Russians visited Turkey last year and the figure is expected to reach 4 million in 2011