Mersin tourism boom draws the Arabs came cruising

Mersin, not just a coastal city, has become a center of tourism, thanks to a new project that will attract cruise ships carrying rich Arab tourists to the city in the summer.

The city, home to a major port in the first place aims to attract Arab tourists to boost tourism shopping. As a result of visa policy? For travel between Turkey and Arab countries, Turkey’s ability to maintain good relations with its neighbors, tourism experienced a significant increase in some cities, compared with recent years, and Mersin is one of them.

Trends in tourism have changed recently. In the old days, tourists chose the best hotels and places few tourists now want to see social and cultural heritage of many cities, instead of one.

Among all cities of Turkey, Mersin shines for tourists because of its cultural heritage and its new malls. The cultural and natural landscape of the city attract tourists and their shopping tourism, Mersin also attract the rich Arab tourists to their malls.

The city is also waiting to see the big cruise ships during the summer months, while shopping centers are preparing for new investments in the city center.

Parallel to these developments in tourism, shopping malls in the city have begun to organize exclusive VIP tours, especially for tourists from the Middle East.

Mersin is home to large numbers of tourists in Lebanon at this time, the Lebanese know that tourists spend more money than any other tourist visiting the city.

These tourists also prefer to use Lebanese cruise ships, due to political disputes that have occurred in Iran and Syria.

Arab tourists to Turkey is considered that opens the door to Europe. Erol said: "Turkey is currently the number one country in the Middle East."

The current number of visitors from Mersin is more than 2 million people, said Erol. "If we use the potential of Mersin, Tarsus and Hatay, then more Arab tourists visiting Turkey."

At present, most tourists who visit the malls of Mersin are from Arab countries, said Erol. "Our goal is not only increasing tourism figures, but also accommodate wealthy European tourists in Mersin."

Anticipating that soon will begin visiting cruise ships also Mersin, Erol said the city would be one of the largest in the world tourism trade.