In 2009, according to the official site for statistics regarding Turkish tourism, Turk Stat.gov, more than 32 million people enter the nation each year for short-term visits. The average per capita expenditure on goods by a tourist is currently $694; this figure does not include the transportation cost to get to Turkey, such as airline tickets. The total tourist revenue for the Republic of Turkey in 2009 was over $21.1 billion.
According to statistics from Turk Stat.gov, tourism income has increased by 4 percent since December of 2009. At the same time, Turkey has increased tourism expenditures by 24.8 percent since 2009, in an effort to increase the number of people visiting the nation. At this point, tourism revenue is still near six times the amount of money spent to boost tourism.
Istanbul is the nation's largest city and most frequently visited destination. The former capital of the Ottoman and Eastern Roman Empire, the city attracts millions. According to Tourism Turkey.org, there are 14 archaeological sites for public tourism, 14 urban locales deemed culturally important by the nation's government, including the famed Hagia Sophia, and 11 museums focusing on the city and nation's vast history. Ankara, the nation's current capital, is the second most visited city in Turkey and the second most populous. Of the resort cities and regions in Turkey, Antalya is the most popular.
