GALATA ANATOLIAN RELIGIOUS HIGH SCHOOL ISTANBUL/TURKEY

15th July Martyrs’ Bridge (Bosporus Bridge)

It is the first bridge to be built on Bosporus which connects Asia and Europe to aid transportation from Asia to Europe and vice versa. It overlooks a wonderful view of Istanbul. It used to be called as Bosporus Bridge. It was renamed as 15th July Martyrs’ Bridge after the coup on 15^th July, in commemoration of martyrs of 15^th July.

GALATA ANATOLIAN RELIGIOUS HIGH SCHOOL ISTANBUL/TURKEY

 

 

GALATA ANATOLIAN RELIGIOUS HIGH SCHOOL ISTANBUL/TURKEY

 

MAIDEN'S TOWER 

The Maiden's Tower is a historical building in the middle of the Bosphorus, which has been the symbol of Istanbul for years. It is a work of art which dates back Byzantine period around 24 B.C.  It has been used for different purposes since the first day it was built by the Ottoman Sultans. Today, tower serves as a touristic attraction from which visitors can have a picturesque view of Istanbul. There is a restaurant on the top floor where you can have traditional tasted of Istanbul and enjoy the view.

There are many legends about the construction of the tower and its location. According to the most popular Turkish legend, an Emperor had a much beloved daughter and one day, an oracle prophesied that she would be killed by a venomous snake on her 18th birthday. The emperor, in an effort to thwart his daughter's early demise by placing her away from land so as to keep her away from any snakes, had the tower built in the middle of the Bosphorus to protect his daughter until her 18th birthday. The princess was placed in the tower, where she was frequently visited only by her father.

On the 18th birthday of the princess, the emperor brought her a basket of exotic sumptuous fruits as a birthday gift, delighted that he was able to prevent the prophecy. Upon reaching into the basket, however, an asp that had been hiding among the fruit bit the young princess and she died in her father's arms, just as the oracle had predicted. That’s the legendary story of the name of Maiden's Tower. 

GALATA ANATOLIAN RELIGIOUS HIGH SCHOOL ISTANBUL/TURKEY

 

Antalya is the capital city of tourism in Turkey. A lot of tourists come to Antalya every year. Istanbul is the most known one. Istanbul is famous for its magnificient view of Bosphourus. There are a lot of historical places in Istanbul. For example, Hagia Sophia Mosque, Maiden Tower, Topkapı Palace, Galata Bridge... etc. Cities located along Eagean Sea and Mediteeranean Sea are touristic places of Turkey. There are lots of five-star hotels in those cities.

BURDUR HIGH SCHOOL IN BURDUR

THE MOST ATTRACTIVE PLACES IN TURKEY FOR TOURISTS

       

     

     

As the 6^th most popular tourist destination in the world and well on its way to attracting more than 40 million tourists annually within the next couple of years, Turkey continues to present vast investment opportunities in both the established and newly-developing subsectors of the industry.

 

With its favorable location, existing potential, mega projects, and ambitious targets set for 2023, the tourism sector continues to grow at a rate that outstrips its bed capacity. Even though there has been a surge of investments in the last several years, there is still ample room for new ventures. Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia both have untapped potential for culture tourism as well as the increasingly popular boutique hotel concept, which blends well with the characteristic nature, history, and culture of the regions.

 

Here are some essential facts and figures about the Turkish tourism sector:

 

• Turkey is currently the 6^th most popular tourist destination in the world, attracting more than 30 million tourists annually and continuing to show positive growth year-on-year.

• The tourism sector has set annual targets of 50 million tourist arrivals and revenues of USD 50 billion by 2023.

• According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the number of foreign travelers arriving in Turkey in 2015 was 39.4 million, while total turnover of the tourism industry that same year was USD 31.4 billion.

• Growth in the Turkish tourism industry has been above the global average in recent years, and the direct contribution of the industry to the current account deficit in 2015 was 80 percent, while its contribution to GDP reached 4.37 percent the same year.

• By the end of 2015, there were 13,615 registered accommodation facilities. 9,188 of these facilities were licensed by their respective municipalities, while the remaining 4,427 held tourism operation licenses. The combined total bed capacity of these facilities exceeds 1,250,000.

• There are currently 281 projects in the pipeline that would add 74,130 much-needed beds to Turkey’s short supply.

• Antalya is the most preferred city in Turkey based on the number of incoming foreign visitors. Visited by 34 percent of the foreign tourists in 2014, Antalya has over 500 4-star and 5-star hotels in its center and surrounding towns such as Kemer, Belek and Kas.

• In 2015, there were more than 165 hotel chains in Turkey, with 15 percent of these hotels being owned by international investors.

• Turkey has 7,200 km of coastline and ranks 2^nd among 38 countries with its 436 blue-flag beaches; only Spain has more blue-flag beaches than Turkey with 578. There are also 22 blue-flag marinas in Turkey.

• In terms of geothermal tourism potential, Turkey is among the top seven countries in the world and ranks 1^st in Europe with its 1,500 thermal springs. Bed capacity in the various thermal spa resorts has reached a combined 55,140.

• Turkey is also an emerging destination for golf tourism with 15 tourism operation-licensed golf resorts. Most golf courses in Turkey use Bermuda grass, which is perfect for a Mediterranean climate and can be used for more than a decade.

• Based on 2015 tourism figures, Euromonitor International has ranked the world’s top 100 most-visited cities, with Antalya coming in 10^th place with 11.1 million foreign visitors.

• Owing to its increasing global connectivity, due in no small part to its favorable geographical position, Istanbul is very much the center of attention with its recent rise to the 5^th most visited city according to MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index 2015 with over 11.8 million foreign and domestic visitors annually.

• The International Congress and Convention Association's (ICCA) Country and City Rankings Report for 2014 saw Istanbul maintain its top 10 position as a global congress destination. Ranking 8^th in the world in 2014 with 130 congresses, Istanbul has now held a top 10 position since 2010.

• The Turkish government offers incentives and pursues policies that offer reduced utility prices and reduced tax rates while decisively eliminating any bureaucratic barriers that may hinder growth in the tourism sector.