Tourist arrivals in Türkiye surge to 4.5 mln in May: ministry

Tourists visit the Galata Tower in Istanbul, Türkiye, March 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Shadati)

ISTANBUL, June 23 (Xinhua) — The number of foreign tourists to Türkiye surged to 4.5 million in May, amounting to a 16.2-percent year-on-year increase, the Culture and Tourism Ministry said Friday.

The Mediterranean resort of Antalya topped the list of most popular destinations by hosting 1.51 million visitors, slightly leading Istanbul with 1.5 million visitors, followed by the Aegean province of Mugla and the northwestern province of Edirne, hosting 380,899 and 349,123 foreigners respectively, according to the ministry figures.

Tourists visit the ancient city of Side in Antalya, Türkiye, April 2, 2023. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

Antalya is famed for its beautiful beaches and inviting waters, while Istanbul straddling Europe and Asia is a popular tourist attraction with its Ottoman-era palaces, Byzantine heritage and museums.

Russians topped the list of visitors, followed by Germans and Britons.

According to the data, 14.3 million foreign tourists visited Türkiye between January and May this year.

In this aerial photo, divers are seen in Antalya, Türkiye, Oct. 22, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

The country has kept its target of receiving 60 million tourists and earning 56 billion U.S. dollars in tourism revenue in 2023 despite the devastating earthquake earlier this year and the recent elections, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy told Turkish business daily Dunya on Friday.

In 2022, 51.4 million tourists visited Türkiye, bringing the country 46.3 billion dollars in revenue.  ■