Turkey retains its position as a popular holiday destinations for UAE residents. In 2013, over 50,000 UAE residents visited Turkey, a 50 % increase from 2012. This is according to Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in Dubai, which found that UAE is among top three countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that opt for Turkey as its number one holiday destination.
“Turkey remains a popular destination, not only for the GCC but globally,” said Mustafa Ozdemir, cultural & information attaché, Cultural & Information Office Turkish Consulate General in Dubai. “The GCC currently contributes five percent of Turkey’s tourism revenue, with Kuwait as the highest contributor, followed by UAE. It’s understandable that GCC and Turkey both have historical and cultural ties and this is evident in increase of tourists over the last year. Residents are choosing the country based on its locality, cost and historical richness.”
Last year Turkey attracted more than 39 m tourists, making it the sixth most popular tourist destination in the world. While Istanbul remains the most popular city for UAE tourists to visit in Turkey, Antalya, Bodrum and Bursa are fast becoming destinations of choice, especially during the peak summer period in July and August.
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