THE monthly earnings of Ephesus, on the UNESCO temporary list of World Heritage Sites, increased to 8 million Turkish Liras in July and August. 

Ephesus, one of Turkey’s headline tourist sites, brought in 4 million TL in the first six months of the year, an increase of 16 percent compared to the same period last year. 

Ancient sites across the province of İzmir, including the Bergama Museum, the Yamaş Houses, the Agora, the St. Jean Monument and the Acropol attracted more than 1.9 million visitors between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 this year. Among them, Ephesus was by far the most popular. 

After Ephesus, Bergama, which was put on the UNESCO list this year, came next in terms of visitor numbers. Some 16,545 people visited Bergama in the first eight months of the year, compared to 14,219 during the same period last year. 

İzmir’s Culture and Tourism Director Abdülaziz Ediz suggested the ministry’s rearrangement works in Ephesus and Bergama over the past two years had influenced the increase in the sites’ visitors and earnings.