Istanbul hosts record number of tourists in May, increased by 22%.

About 4 million tourists have visited Istanbul in the first five months of the year, increasing by 21%.

Istanbul received nearly 4 million tourists in the first five months of the year, increasing by 21%.

The city’s Culture and Tourism Directorate said in a statement that the number of foreign tourists visiting Istanbul increased 21 percent compared (1,058,771 visitors) to (867,511 visitors) the same period last year.

“A record number of tourists have visited the city in May. Considering country groups arriving in Istanbul according to previous year, the most of the tourists arrived in Istanbul are from Germany which is followed by Russia with 252 thousand France with 185 thousand and the US with 175 thousand,” said the statement. Others followed as Italy (173.528), England (170.181), Iran (123.827), Holland (110.160), Ukraine (103.619).

Turkish tourism unaffected by Gezi Park events.

Holiday reservations in Turkey’s coastal cities and foreign flights to Turkey were not affected by Gezi Park events.

Director of Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) Basaran Ulusoy said holiday reservations in Turkey’s coastal cities were not affected negatively by Gezi Park events.

Following an evaluation meeting with Culture and Tourism Minister Omer Celik, Ulusoy said, they were tyring to postpone the reservations rather than fully cancelling them.

No serious decline in airline transport.

Director of Tourism Investors’ Association (TTYD) Ali Murat Ersoy added, “There is no cancellation in the foreign flights. Airline transport has declined by low rate, and we will compensate it shortly as the perception created by the events changes.“