Tourism in Turkey is a significant sector of the national economy focused mostly on a diversity of historical sites and seaside resorts on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Turkey is a magnificent country with wealth in which tourism activities relate to the Culture and Tourism Ministry's Republic of Turkey.
Tourism in Turkey has seen magnificent growth in recent years and has become a popular destination for spa and health care services as well. Turkey is a great country with unique history and culture. It reflects the many attractions and offers touristic activities on the shores of the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea. In recent years, the country has become popular in health tourism. The greatest city in Turkey is Istanbul which was the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empire. Hence Istanbul hosts many structures with antiquity. Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace are the best specimens of them.
Other famous and significant tourism zones are; Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, Side, the House of Virgin Mary. Also, Cappadocia, Nemrut and Pamukkale regions are tourism zones in Turkey since the Roman Empire period.
The stunning beach region is usually a foremost tourism zone for local and foreign tourists. Beach areas also major tourism areas for visitors from Western people living in various cities of Turkey and Europe. The most popular beaches start from the Aegean coast and end proximate to Antalya in the Mediterranean. Bodrum, Cesme, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kusadasi and Alanya are significant holiday resorts. Turkey is surrounded by the sea on three sides in the tourist region remained trapped in the Fountain-only Alanya and çesme line.
Istanbul is one main and major tourism spot not just in Turkey but also in the World. There is a wide range of hotels and various tourist-oriented commerce in Istanbul. The most beautiful and great city of Turkey, Istanbul, arising from Byzantine history and status as the capital of the Ottoman Empire has an important center of attraction.
These tourist attractions consist of Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahçe Palace, Galata Tower, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar and Pera Palace Hotel.
In recent years, Istanbul has become one of the largest shopping centers in the European region by consisting of shopping malls and shopping centers. Metrocity, Akmerkez and Cevahir Mall, Venezia, Zorlu Center Forum Istanbul, are the largest malls in Europe and the seventh-largest in the world. Other tourism in Turkey attractions consists of sporting events, museums and cultural events.
Antalya is known as the capital and center of tourism in Turkey. The great holiday resorts are Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kusadasi, Cesme, Didim and Alanya. In addition, Turkey was selected second in the world with 436 blue flag beaches in 2015, according to the Chamber of Maritime Commerce.
Places to see elsewhere in Turkey consisting of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, Virgin Mary's House, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Trabzon, Konya, Didyma, Antakya Church, the ancient capital of Pontus and the king's rock tombs with its acropolis in Amasya, religious sites such as Deyrülzafarân Monastery in Mardin and magnificent landscapes of Cappadocia.
Another important point of Tourism in Turkey is the historical city of Diyarbakir.
Although Ankara is not exactly a tourist city it has a historical old town and, it is mostly a destination for travelers to Cappadocia. In addition, the city of Ankara has an admirable cultural life and has several museums. Anitkabir the mausoleum of Ataturk the founder of the Republic of Turkey, is situated in Ankara as well.
Coastal tourism in Turkey is consisting of sea, beach, sun, landscape, biodiversity, seafood. Coasts should be organized with hotels, coastal arrangements, diving sports, bird watching, boat trips, medical services, restaurants. In general, most European tourists prefer the coasts for Tourism in Turkey.
In Turkey, while the western Mediterranean and Aegean coasts are tourist-oriented regions for the foreign hotel in general, the Black Sea and the Marmara coast are known as second homes of domestic and foreign tourists.
The typical weather of the Black Sea coast is not appropriate for the growth and expansion of coastal tourism. The summer rains in the Black Sea prevent tourism, the period for swimming is 3 months, the daily sunbath period is 9-10 hours, and there is over 70% relative humidity. On the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts where the Mediterranean climate succeeds; the swimming period is from May to November, the sunbathing duration is 11 to 12 hours a day, summer drought and humidity is below 70%.
In the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, sunbathing time, air temperature and high seawater temperature cause long swimming times. The fact that coves and gulfs cover more places promotes the development of coastal tourism. Great hotels and holiday settlements have been constructed on these shores.
One of the criteria for coastal tourism in Turkey is to have a blue flag. While Turkey in 2014 was the third country among most blue flag beach, it rose to second grade in 2015.
Thermal tourism in Turkey is especially significant in terms of domestic tourism. Turkey having 1300 thermal and more than 2000 medicinal water resources become 5th world in this regard.
Thermal springs have been used in Anatolia since the Hittites. Kestanbol spa, Hierapolis Roman period, Kursunlu bath in Yalova is from the Byzantine period.
Health or medical tourism in Turkey is mostly evaluated by those living in less developed countries where some medical treatments for certain conditions are not found yet. They travel to a foreign country to get the reliable and appropriate treatment they need. Though, the trend is changing where more improved countries seek better quality medical treatment with more affordable cost and shorter delivery times.
Turkey is the best destination for health tourism. Due to the modern and high quality of service provided at a reasonable cost. Moreover, there are great and speedy service systems for foreign patients. In addition, there is an ease in visa procedures for most countries. The main aim of this issue is to provide opportunities and threats to health tourism in Turkey.
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