TEHRAN – A total of 276,000 Iranian nationals visited Turkey in August, making the Islamic Republic the main source of foreign arrivals in the neighboring country.

Latest data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute show 276,000 Iranian tourists visited Turkey in August to register a 45% increase compared with the similar month of last year, Eghtesad Online reported on Tuesday.

The eastern province of Van, the southern province of Antalya, and Istanbul, which is Turkey’s largest city, are the most popular destinations for Iranian vacationers.

Some 1.37 million Iranian tourists visited Turkey during the first eight months of 2019, accounting for 4.4% of all international arrivals in the country. In fact, Iran was Turkey’s fifth biggest source of tourism from January to August,

latest data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute show, the report said.
The data showed that Russia, Germany, the UK, and Bulgaria constituted the main tourist sources for Turkey before Iran.

In August, the first rail service between Tehran and Ankara, capitals of the two neighbors, resumed operation after a four-year halt. Later that month Iran and Turkey started negotiating to launch a direct passenger train service between Tehran and Istanbul.

AFM/MG