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Turkey’s touristic popularity increasing 
Turkey is aiming to attract 20 million tourists this year and is one of the leading countries in the world’s tourism sector 

ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News 
“By looking at statistics and making contacts at fairs, we hope that this year 20 million tourists will come to Turkey,” said Touristic Hotels and Investors Association Chairman Timur Bayindir. “We also expect $18 to $20 billion in tourism income. This was the estimate of the World Trade Organization for Turkey for the year 2010. Events such as big congresses, the UEFA Championship League Final Match and Formula 1 mean that Turkey is able to promote itself very well.”

Current figures and reservations show that Turkey’s popularity increased this year. Bayindir noted that 3,853,079 foreigners visited Turkey between January and April of this year, saying that the number of tourists increased by 22.2 percent over the same period in previous years. 

According to data obtained from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the number of tourists coming to Turkey in April increased by 27 percent compared to last year. The number of tourists, which was 1,104,207 million last April, reached 1,348,619 for the same period this year. 

Bayindir pointed out that the UEFA match May 25 in Istanbul meant that the hotels were full, with some people staying “in hotels in neighboring regions like Kumburgaz, Sile, Yalova, Izmit and Kilyos. We expect some $30 million in tourism revenue from this event.” 

Convenience for foreign investors

The Turkish Tourism Investors Association is planning to provide elements that would make investments easier, according to its chairman, Oktay Varlier, These will help tourism investors invest wherever they want in Turkey. Varlier continued: “You had to apply to 19 different places to establish a company in the past. This has been reduced to three. Foreign investors can now make investments in the information, sector but it is important to improve the investment environment in Turkey, to reduce real interest rates and inflation, and to provide economic and political stability. We see that both domestic and foreign investors have tended to invest in tourism over the last year or two.” 

Importance should be attached to cultural tourism

Noting that European tour operators mostly prefer to invest in Turkey’s southern coast, Club Iremtur executive board chairman Sadettin Ulubay said the number of investors putting money into cultural tourism was very low. Ulubay was critical of the fact that despite Turkey’s enormous cultural wealth, its tourism had been launched solely in sea, sand and sun. Pointing out that there was no support for investment in Turkey but that there was for tourism promotion investment, Ulubay suggested that there should be an increase in the variety of touristic products. “Turkey has much historical and cultural wealth to promote in addition to branches of tourism such as congress, marina, yacht, cultural, health, golf, entertainment and shopping. There are incentives like a 40 percent investment discount and tax and fee exemptions.” 

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2007 Declared 'International Rumi Year' By Anadolu News Agency (aa), Konya Published: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 zaman.com

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), evaluating the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s offer, has decided to commemorate the 800th birthday of Mevlana Jalaladdin-i Rumi, a prominent mystic of Islam, in all member countries.

Turkish Undersecretary of Culture and Tourism, Professor Mustafa Isen announced Tuesday that they presented a proposal to UNESCO suggesting a global celebration in 2007 for Rumi’s 800th birthday.

“Our proposal was responded positively,” Isen said, “So, 2007 was announced as, “International Rumi Year”.

The ministry pays a great deal of attention to the works, and in line with these works, the “Activities Commemorating Rumi” will be performed in Konya, and will be expanded throughout the year and the rest of world.

The International Rumi Association President and Mevlana’s 22nd generation grandchild, Faruk Celebi also said UNESCO’s decision to include Mevlevi culture among world cultural heritages in 2007 is a positive move.

He also noted that they received support from Iran and Afghanistan. Director of Mevlana Center for Research and Practice (SUMAM) at Selcuk University, Associate Professor Nuri Simsekler said, it is an important step in terms of imparting Rumi and Mevlevi culture to the next generation without degeneration.