The Turkish Government has revealed that over 330,000 British visitors travelled to Turkey in the first 11 months of 2021 (to 30th November).
Turkey only effectively re-opened to UK travellers from 23rd September, 2021 following the country’s removal from the UK Government’s red list, with the subsequent cessation of PCR testing requirements by the Turkish Government announced on 1st October.
This allowed a substantial number of British visitors to take advantage of Turkey’s warm autumn climes and visit the year-round destination between October and December 2021.
This news comes as Turkey is named one of ABTA’s top 10 list of most popular 2022 destinations.
Turkish Tourism Board in the UK says: “2022 is set to be a year of strong recovery for Turkey in the UK market. The feedback we are receiving from our UK tour operator partners highlights strong levels of forward bookings for summer 2022, supported by an increased number of flights between the UK and Turkey this year.”
This growth will be supported by increasing air links between the UK and Turkey in 2022 with services from 17 UK airports to destinations including Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Izmir, Gaziantep and Ankara as well as Istanbul.
Turkey is planning a number of new events and attractions in 2022, including:
Beyoğlu Culture Route Festival (May/June): Aiming to highlight İstanbul’s international value and its historical, architectural, economic, and touristic assets, the first Beyoğlu Culture Route Festival took place in late 2021. The Route features the newly-rebuilt Atatürk Culture Centre, as well as the Galata Tower, Atlas Cinema, Galata Mevlevi Lodge, the Mehmet Akif Memorial House, and the Tarık Zafer Tunaya Culture Theatre, along with numerous other historical, cultural, and architectural assets restored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The second instalment of the festival, which will become an annual event, will take place between May 28-June 12, 2022.
Atatürk Culture Centre: Istanbul’s Atatürk Cultural Center reopened its doors to art lovers on October 29, 2021, the 98th anniversary of Turkish Republic Day. AKM will host many events in 2022 ranging from exhibitions, concerts, theatre performances, opera performances to conferences, meetings, and workshops.
Ankara Culture Route Festival (May): Comprising of the venues Ankara Ethnography Museum, Art and Sculpture Museum, Ulucanlar Prison Museum, Roman Baths, Hacı Bayram, and Presidential Symphony Orchestra Hall, Ankara Culture Route will also host a festival in May 2022.
The reopening of Maiden’s Tower: Maiden’s Tower, one of the most photographed structures in the World and a symbol of the Istanbul skyline, will reopen its doors to visitors as a museum in 2022 after going through a period of restoration.
Tourism Board added: “British visitors can be assured of a warm and safe welcome to Turkey, with the expansion of our world-leading Safe Tourism Certification Programme this year, and a high level of vaccination amongst the Turkish population.”
