Ankara ready to host mideast tourism fair

Turkey will host the Middle East Tourism Exhibition (METEX) this year, hoping to double the number of Arab tourists visiting the country to four million and promote alternative trends in the industry such as health and shopping tourism. At least 300 professionals from more than 30 countries are expected to convene in Ankara on May 25- 27 for the event. The exhibition will feature both local and international stands on various aspects of tourism, such as culture, health care, spas, shopping, education, sports, nature, and ecology. The event will put a special emphasis Turkey's medical sector and health opportunities, in a bid to attract visitors from countries where health care is insufficient, such as Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. Turkish participants will also highlight Turkey's 156 universities, ready to welcome foreign students, especially from countries which enjoy visa-free travel with Turkey. "The number of destinations for people traveling from the region must be increased for sustainable tourism. The exhibition will thus have important contributions to the number of tourists visiting various tourism centers," said METEX Executive Board head Dr. Cuneyt Mengu in a press release.