TOURISTS from the UK will from March 2 be able to travel on a free visa to Turkey from March 2.

Turkey has announced that travellers from the UK, and five other European countries, will be able to enter the country for up to 90 days in 180 days.

Visa restrictions for tourists from Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain have also been lifted, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy.

It means tourists from these countries don’t have to apply for a visa before entry – costing them around $35 – each time.

Around 2.5 million tourists from the UK visit Turkey each year.

Noting that the decision aims to boost tourism ties with the six countries, Aksoy said it will also help further develop commercial, economic and cultural relations with these nations.

Some 51.9 million people visited Turkey in 2019, including 44.7 million foreigners and 7.2 million Turkish expats.

The move will also stop travellers from being routinely ripped off by third-party websites offering extortionate prices for visas to Turkey.

Turkey is the sixth most-visited country in the world, according to the U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).