Tourism

With official figures from 2012 showing foreign arrivals continuing to edge upwards, year-on-year, Turkey has maintained its status as a leading global tourism destination. Collaboration at the public, private and non-governmental levels is seen as key to improving professional standards in the sector, and to meeting the goals outlined in the Tourism Strategy 2023. There are still challenges, however, not least of which is the threat posed by rapid growth to the integrity of environmental, cultural and historical sites. Turkey is seeking to broaden its image as a destination by promoting its diverse landscapes and cultural heritage, with efforts under way to develop infrastructure to support golf and winter sports tourism as well. The Tourism Strategy 2023 is ambitious, with the 50m-visitor target around 20m higher than current figures. The target may be achievable, as numbers have grown at a heady rate in recent years, rising 170.7% between 2001 and 2011, for example.