Assessing the areas of collaboration between the two countries from tourism to economy, Jill Morris, the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Ankara, highlighted the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to be signed between Türkiye and the UK as an agreement suitable for modern economies.
"We expect a record in the number of tourists."
In statements to newspaper, Sabah, Morris said, "British citizens are the third largest group of tourists visiting Türkiye. This indicates not only the strategic relations and strong trade partnership between our countries but also very strong bonds among our peoples. It also highlights Türkiye's great appeal as a tourist destination. In 2018, the number of British tourists visiting Türkiye was 2.3 million. This number exceeded 2.5 million in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected global tourism in 2020 and 2021, but rapid recovery was observed thereafter. In 2022, we surpassed pre-pandemic levels with over 3 million British tourists. In 2023, Türkiye was visited by 3.81 million British tourists, setting a new record. This year, we expect to break another record with over four million tourists."
"Türkiye has a lot to offer."
Expressed that there is much that Türkiye has to offer, attracting British citizens with the country's rich culture, natural beauty, wonderful cuisine, and famous Turkish hospitality Morris said; "Holiday destinations along the coastline besides Istanbul are quite popular among the British. Turkey has much to offer, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye is working to diversify Türkiye's appeal to include different regions. While the majority of British visits go smoothly, this visit provides an opportunity to thank our Turkish partners for their excellent cooperation when dealing with any issues."
