Turkey 'should appeal to cultural tourists'

Tuesday July 1st , 2008

A government official in Turkey has called on the tourism industry to market its cultural attractions more heavily.

According to culture and tourism minister Ertugrul Gunay, the country is a very popular hotspot for people who want a beach holiday, reports Today's Zaman.

However, he has said he believes further growth in the Turkish holiday industry could be achieved if efforts are made to broaden its appeal.

Mr Gunay said areas such as Anatolia used to be the home to many ancient civilizations and still contain many sites of historical interest.

He commented: "We need to combine our cultural heritage with tourism."

"Our archeological assets, summer campgrounds and museums are very important in this sense."

The Turkish government recently said it wants to attract more than 50 million visitors a year by 2023.

This will be more than double the amount of holidaymakers recorded last year and should be highly lucrative for the country's economy.