Massive increase in visitors to Turkey, and steady increase in returning Turks

According to a report released by the Turkish Institute of Statistics, Turkey is getting hotter! The number of visitors and returning citizens has seen a sharp increase over the same time last year, signalling a strong upturn in the fortunes of the Turkish tourist industry and indicating a resurgence in Turkey’s appeal to its expatriate citizens.

The numbers are taken from border control figures and measure the number of people entering and leaving Turkey via plane, boat, car and rail. These have been compared with data taken from the same period one year earlier and show an emphatic change both in visitor numbers and in nationalities.

The figures are those from September 2007, outside the main domestic tourist season but a popular month for visitors who are free from the restrictions of school term times, and are compared against September 2006.

The overall number of foreign visitors to Turkey went up by an impressive 23.5% to 2,799,276 from 2,267,146, with plane the most popular mode of entry - chosen by 29.6% more people this year than last. Arrivals by sea also increased impressively, by 14.6% - both figures suggesting wealthier overseas visitors compared with the previous year.

Wealth is also suggested by the top ten nations favouring Turkey as a destination (who make up an overwhelming 63.9% of Turkey’s foreign visitors): Germany, Russia, the UK, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Iran, USA, Ukraine, Israel and France; with popularity growing most among Americans and members of the former Soviet states. Obviously, even the fragile condition of the US economy and the poor performance of the dollar against the Turkish lira can’t put Americans off Turkey!

An upturn is also indicated in the number of Turkish citizens returning to Turkey, whether for a visit or more permanently: up by 11.3% from 587,845 to 654,362, though this is still outweighed by the number of departures in the same month, down 1.6% from 963,509 to 948,195.

The news is particularly pleasing for those who’ve been keen to see Turkey’s vitally important tourist industry thriving: investors both private and commercial; travel agencies; property developers; banks; and all the millions of companies offering services and products aimed at foreign visitors. It also underlines the wisdom of investment in quality attractions such as Didim D-Marin megayacht marina and the two golf courses planned for Altinkum at Third Beach and Mercimek.

Source: TURKISH STATISTICAL INSTITUTE, PRIME MINISTRY, REPUBLIC OF TURKEY PRESS RELEASE NUMBER 172, OCT 23 2007: NUMBER OF ARRIVING-DEPARTING FOREIGNERS AND CITIZENS, SEPTEMBER 2007

© Dizayn Homes 2007

Where is Akbuk?

Akbuk is a picturesque bay on Bodrum's Gulluk peninsula, part of the beautiful Aegean coast of Turkey.

Akbuk is served by two major airports, Izmir and Bodrum, and by international, European and domestic flights. Flights to Izmir and flights to Bodrum from the UK take about 4 hours, and the transfer from Bodrum to Akbuk is around 45 minutes to an hour. Akbuk is also accessible by road - the main motorway between Izmir, Kusadasi, Soke, Altinkum and Bodrum - and of course by sea! Akbuk's harbour is peaceful, even in summer, and in 2004 was awarded an internationally-recognised Blue Flag award for cleanliness.

For a larger version of the Akbuk location map above, email us: dizaynhomes@gmail.com - if it's for publication we just ask for credit and a link.