TURKEY is ranked 6th in terms of the number of tourists by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and in 2013 Turkey welcomed 37.8 million foreign visitors – a year on year increase of 5.9% (source: WTO).
Turkey is also one of the most popular and affordable holiday destinations for the UK with the country ranking 6th for Brits travelling to short-haul destinations (source: MINTEL).
In 2013, Turkey attracted 2.51 million British visitors, an increase of 2.15% from 2.42 million Brits in 2012, during which time they spent a total of £654 million while holidaying there.
Istanbul also welcomed 10.47 million tourists in 2013, a record figure and an increase of 11.7% compared to 2012 (source: Ministry of Culture & Tourism).
The strength of the pound against the lira means that Turkey is better value than ever for cost-conscious Brits, with the prices of holidaying in Turkey reported to be 29% lower than two years ago