Antalya draws record number of tourists

The Mediterranean province of Antalya, a Turkish tourist hub famed for its sun, sea and sand, has drawn a record 5.76 million tourists since the beginning of the year. That compares with 5.1 million tourists who came in January to early August of 2009 and 5.45 million in the same period of 2008. The provincial State Airports Management General Directorate (DHMI) said in a statement yesterday that 1,945 passenger planes landed at or took off from Antalya Airport on Aug. 6-8 alone, carrying over 171,000 tourists. The provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate also said 416,000 tourists arrived in the province in the first eight days of August. In the same period of last year, 404,000 tourists arrived in Antalya.