Visa exemption accelerated Turkish exports

Mehmet Buyukeksi, President of the Turkish Exporters' Agency stated yesterday that Turkey's exports have accelerated notably due to visa exemption agreements with more than 21 countries in last decade. The visa exemption agreements with Libya, Albania, Jordan and Kosovo in 2009, raised total foreign trade volume with those four countries to $4 billion in 2010, compared to $3 billion in 2009.  "Visas constitute not only a technical barrier but also a psychological obstacle for foreign trade," said Buyukeksi adding that the Turkish exporters wanted to open up to the world so they needed to have visa-free access to the markets they wanted to be in. He also said that Turkish exporters are approaching 2023 targets for exports rapidly due to the visa exemption agreements with many countries.