Tourism flows to Turkey have begun to soar, as authorities expect over 40 million travelers this year, while sector insiders expect this trend to impact Greece as a destination.
Extending in 2018 a visa regime that will apply to non-Schengen visitors traveling on cruise ships topped the agenda of an inter-ministerial meeting this week.
A ban on all Greece-bound Turkish-flagged boats was lifted, following a meeting between Greek Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroublis and Turkish Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan.
Turkey expressed its wish to lift a ban on Greece-bound yachts and ferries when the country’s transport minister, Ahmet Arslan, visits Greece this month.
North Aegean Governor Christiana Kalogirou is calling for immediate action in order for Turkey's ban on Greece-bound yachts, sailboats and ferries to be lifted.
Turkey’s transport ministry said it was banning travel to Greece on yachts, sailboats and ferries after Greek authorities seized 11 vessels for violating maritime regulation.
The Turkish lira's record low in the first week of the year has come on top of extremist attacks, a failed and fatal coup, and a diplomatic row with Russia, to take a toll on the country’s tourism.
Aiming to attract all the more tourists to its shores, Turkey is examining the creation of tax-free tourist zones, Turkey’s Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said.
Boosting the mutual flow of tourism and developing common strategies for the cooperation of sector enterprises between Turkey and Greece was the focus of the Greek-Turkish Tourism Workshop held in Izmir, Turkey, on April 6.
