UPDATE - Turkey expects to receive more German tourists

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By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Turkey expects to attract 5.6 million German tourists to the country this year, the country's culture and tourism minister said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters at the ITB Berlin tourism fair, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy expressed optimism about attracting a record number of tourists from Germany in 2019.

“There has been a 58 percent rise in early bookings from Germany for Turkey,” Ersoy said.

He underlined that Turkey has again become a leading destination for German tourists after numbers fell in 2016 and 2017.

“This year we're expecting around 5.6 million German tourists to visit Turkey,” he said, raising hopes of beating the 2015 record of 5.5 million visitors.

-Turkey presents Gobeklitepe in Berlin

Ersoy said Turkey would become more attractive for tourists not only for its natural wonders or beautiful beaches but also its rich culture and history and its impressive archaeological sites.

He said Gobeklitepe in southeastern Turkey, the world’s oldest temple, will be one of the main highlights of Turkish tourism this year.

Following his remarks, Ersoy visited an exhibition showcasing Gobeklitepe at the fair.

Turkey’s presence at the fair this year is spread out over 2,000 square meters, with the participation of more than 100 municipalities, hotels, tour operators, and other tourism service providers.

ITB Berlin, the world's largest travel trade fair, will open its doors to the public this weekend after hosting tourism industry professionals all week.