TO the surprise of almost everyone in the travel industry, Turkey welcomed a near record number of 500,000 American tourists in 2006, even more than in the heady travel days before 9/11.
That’s as it should be: Turkey is a colorful and friendly destination that is ranked among the 10 most popular nations for tourism. It receives more than 20 million tourists a year.
Among that group, American visitors are especially valued. Unlike European visitors, many of whom buy inexpensive air-and-land packages to the Mediterranean and Aegean beach resorts of Turkey, Americans seek out the culture and history of the country and spend far more than the average European. And although the decline of the American dollar (now exchanged at about 1.4 Turkish lire to $1) has made Turkey more expensive than before, it remains a moderately priced tourist destination. Family-run boutique hotels are available for $100 to $140 a night for a double room. Accommodations at unpretentious private hostels often can be had for $20 per person per night.
Turkey: Big surprise hit with tourists – Travel – LATimes.com.