UK visitors to Turkey reached 3.16 million in the first nine months of this year, a 12% increase over the same period of last year.

The UK overtook Bulgaria to become Turkey’s third largest overseas market in 2022, behind Russia and Germany, and it maintained that position throughout this summer.

In total, Turkey welcomed just over 45 million overseas visitors in the first nine months of 2023, a 12% rise.

During the same period, the country’s earnings from tourism rose 20% to top US$42 billion.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said: “Türkiye (Turkey) and the UK have deep-rooted relations, and your country is also one of our leading tourism markets.

“The role of the collaborations we have established with you will continue in the future, and they will undoubtedly carry significance in Türkiye’s success in tourism.”

Addressing delegates at the ABTA Travel Convention, Mr Ersoy also announced that both Bodrum – where the Convention was being held – and Izmir will be included in the Michelin Guide for the first time, with the featured restaurants revealed on 9 November.