Tourists visit the Aizanoi ancient city in Kutahya Province, Türkiye, on Dec. 27, 2024. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)
ISTANBUL, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye is drawing increasing numbers of Chinese tourists to iconic sites like Cappadocia, Pamukkale, and Ephesus, while also promoting lesser-known treasures such as the Black Sea coast.
Efforts led by the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency and regional travel agencies are underway to promote new tourist destinations, according to Irfan Karsli, head of Ligarba Tourism Agency.
At the forefront of these efforts is the Eastern Black Sea region, which stands out for its rich cuisine, Roman ruins, and natural beauty.
"Plans include organizing familiarization trips and tours for Chinese travel agents, with a particular focus on Trabzon in the Black Sea region," Karsli said.
Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2024 shows the Long Lake in Trabazon, Türkiye. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)
Fatma Sahin, the mayor of Türkiye's southeastern Gaziantep province's central municipality, also promoted her city's UNESCO-recognized gastronomy at an event earlier this month.
Bertan Oner, CEO and founder of Hotelz, Türkiye's first online travel agency, highlighted how the rise of the Z generation in China is driving a new wave of eager travelers.
Tourists visit a tea garden in Rize, a coastal city in the eastern part of Türkiye's Black Sea region, on Aug. 27, 2024. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)
"They want to experience the new places they've seen on social media firsthand," Oner told Xinhua.
Türkiye welcomed 381,200 Chinese visitors in the first 11 months of 2024, a 70.88 percent increase year-on-year.
A single purchase
