Ankara, March 23, IRNA – Iranian tourists who visit Turkey are the third big group of foreign visitors who go to the country each year only after the German and Russian tourists and stay there more than Western visitors.

Iranian tourists 3rd big group of foreign visitors in Turkey

The number of Iranian tourists in Turkey, compared to the previous year, experienced a 50 percent growth in 2017 to stand at 2.5 million people, the Karar Daily reported on Friday.

Development of bilateral ties between Iran and Turkey and an increasing familiarity of Iranians with the cultural commonalities possessed by the two neighboring nations have contributed to the rise in the number of Iranian tourists in Turkey, Karar quoted Turkish tourism officials as saying.

Antalya, Istanbul and Van have been referred in the report as the most important destination for Iranian tourists.

Iranian tourists stay 35-40 percent more than Western tourists in Turkey.

Cities of Istanbul, Antalya, Marmas and Ankara are the most important destinations for Iranian air travel to Turkey, and those traveling through the borderlands of the Bazargan, Razi and Sarv to Turkey, often go to the cities of Van, Yuksek Ewa, Ağrı, Eğadir, Erzurum and Trabzon.