Turkey reveals booming tourist figures for first quarter of 2007
Turkey has announced that tourism income for the first quarter of 2007 increased by 8% in comparison to last year, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (Turkstat).
The statistics show that some out of the $2.16 billion (£1.1 billion) of tourism income generated during the quarter, more than $1.5 billion came from foreign visitors.
Additionally, the average expenditure per foreign visitor during their stay reached $588, with the greatest number of visitors arriving in March.
Turkstat says this represents an 18.2% increase in expenditure compared to the same period in 2006, with most of the money being spent through individual tourists rather than those on package holidays.
In related news, the honorary president of the Turkish Tourism Investors Association has said that Turkey must still overcome some prejudices when promoting its tourist appeal to westerners.
The Turkish Daily News quotes Oktay Varlier as saying: "Turkey is still a Middle Eastern country in the minds of the general public."
Mr Varlier concluded by saying that these prejudices would "wither away" as the country's association with Europe becomes more established.
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