Turkey aims to break records in the number of tourists arriving from Russia.
Osman Ayık, Advisor to the Mayor of Antalya and former President of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED), stated that the Turkish tourism sector expects to break a new record in the number of Russian tourists visiting the country in 2024, according to RIA Novosti.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that by the end of 2023, Turkey had been visited by 56.7 million tourists, with citizens of the Russian Federation (6.3 million) ranking first in the number of travelers.
Ayık said, "We expect a record in the number of tourists coming from Russia this year."
The record for the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey was broken in 2019, with more than 7,017,000 out of 51.7 million tourists visiting the country's resorts.
Ayık emphasized Ankara's intention to break the "pre-pandemic" record. According to him, the Turkish market is attractive to tourists from the Russian Federation due to the high quality of services offered.
"We must not forget that many Russian tourists make their first overseas trip to Turkey, which is significant for them. They see Turkey as their second home, and we strive to provide the highest level of service to these valued friends. I believe we are always one step ahead of other tourist destinations, and we will make every effort to maintain this position," said the Advisor to the Mayor of Antalya.