Milliyet - Türkiye’s tourism revenue rose 10.6 percent to USD 23 billion in 2011 over 2010, according to Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). The country earned an average of USD 637 from each of its total 31 million foreign visitors, up from 2010’s USD 630. Türkiye’s tourism revenue was at USD 20.8 billion in 2010.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism figures, Germans preferred Türkiye the most in 2011 as 4.8 million Germans took a trip to the country, followed by 3.4 million Russians and 2.5 million Britons. Iranian, Bulgarian, Dutch, Georgian, French, Syrian and US nationals also visited Türkiye last year in considerable numbers.
With the number of foreign visitors increasing year-on-year, Türkiye aims to enter the top 5 in global tourism. From 2001’s 10.4 million to last year’s 31 million, the number of visitors to the country tripled in a decade. As of late 2011, Türkiye ranks seventh in the most-visited global destinations list, according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).