Turkey has witnessed an unprecedented increase in tourists from UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar especially during summer and Ramadan time this year.
According to official statistics of Ministry of Culture and Tourism office in Dubai, numbers of Middle East travelers in August 2012 compared to August 2011 have increased dramatically. Number of tourists from UAE increased % 373.29, number of tourists from Bahrain increased 172.62%, number of tourists from Kuwait increased 330.92% and number of tourists from Qatar increased 595.69%.
Turkey remains a strong performer when it comes to tourism. Sedat Gönüllüoğlu cultural and information attaché from Turkish Tourism & Cultural Office in Dubai said: “The numbers reflect a strong cultural bond between Turkey and GCC countries. The big reason cited for GCC residents to choose Turkey is its cultural and religious closeness.”
The country is one the fastest developing tourist destinations in the world, now ranking sixth in terms of number of foreign arrivals, with a total of 31.4 million foreign visitors in 2011.