Turkey and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote, develop and encourage cooperation in the tourism sector, a senior government official announced on Wednesday.
“We met with Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China Sun Yeri and his accompanying delegation in Akum, Istanbul,” Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said in a post on TwitterX (formerly Twitter).
“We signed the ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation’ with my counterpart, whom I am very pleased to welcome in Turkey, aiming to strengthen, develop and promote cooperation in the tourism sector between our two countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit,” he added.
“We want to build closer ties between Turkey and the People’s Republic of China, both in the cultural and tourism spheres,” Ersoy said.
Turkey is an increasingly popular tourist destination worldwide, with numerous tourist attractions attracting millions of visitors every year.
Last year, Turkey welcomed around 56.7 million tourists, including Turkish citizens living abroad, setting a new record for arrivals.
While Istanbul and the Mediterranean city of Antalya are hugely popular with tourists, authorities are introducing special organisations focusing on archaeology and rail travel, aiming to include all the country’s provinces in their rich tapestry of tourism and culture.
In the past, Chinese tourists mainly visited Turkey’s Kapadokya region in central Nevsehir province, known for hot air balloon tours and numerous caves.
The Turkish government aims to increase total tourist numbers to 60 million this year and generate $60 billion in tourism revenue.
