JEDDAH: Turkey will participate in Riyadh Travel Fair 2011 in an effort to attract tourists from the Kingdom and enhance the countries' cultural relationship. The Riyadh Travel Fair, which is open to the public, runs from May 23 to May 26. It has become an important annual event that hosts the largest travel and tourism companies in Saudi Arabia and other exhibitors from the GCC. Dr. Salih Ozer, Culture and Information Counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Riyadh, said statistics from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism highlight the growth of tourists from Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries. In 2010, the number of tourists from the Kingdom reached 84,934, up from 66,938 in 2009, he said. “The main thing that drew the attention of tourists from Saudi Arabia is Turkey's reputation as a country that provides all types of tourism at competitive prices,” he said. “Whether the purpose of visiting is for medical treatment, recreation, sports and adventures, education or business and trade, Turkey is the ideal place for all.” Dr. Ozer also said that Turkey has witnessed exponential growth in the tourism sector over the past few years, with increasing numbers of visitors from GCC countries, other Arab countries and Europe. Religious tourism has become popular in Muslim countries and in recent years, there was a noticeable increase in the number of tourists coming from Saudi Arabia and other Islamic countries, he said. Turkey participated in many activities and exhibitions in Saudi Arabia, such as the Janadriyah Festival 23, in which Turkey was selected as the guest of honor.
