By Diyar Guldogan
ANKARA (AA) – Under a new deal for passport-free travel, the Turkish president said on Wednesday that he expects Serbian tourists visiting Türkiye to set a new record.
"We expect the number of tourists from Serbia visiting our country this year – breaking a record – to surpass 300,000 for the first time," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the Türkiye-Serbia Business Forum in the Serbian capital Belgrade.
During Erdogan’s visit – the second stop on a three-nation Balkan tour – Türkiye and Serbia signed seven agreements in such areas as the economy, industry, and technology, including a protocol allowing passport-free travel for nationals on both sides.
Erdogan said the deal will help propel bilateral relations to the next level.
"Our investments in Serbia have made a leap in the last decade, from $1 million to $400 million. The number of our companies in Serbia now tops 1,300," the president said.
He added that Turkish companies have a business volume of approximately $847 million in Serbia, with 50 projects in various regions.
Türkiye's door is open to Serbian entrepreneurs who want to invest in the country, he said.