Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism welcomed approximately 2,500 foreign guests during 2006 as part of its national promotion efforts, according to Promotion Department Director General Ozgur Ozarslan.
The guests represented a wide range of fields, including journalism, the arts, religion, publishing, and the tourism industry. After returning home, many produced newspaper articles, books, television programs, and films that helped raise Türkiye's profile abroad.
Ozarslan said such organic, first-hand promotion tends to carry more weight with audiences than conventional advertising campaigns, since the resulting coverage comes across as credible and independent.
The ministry spent roughly 1.25 million USD hosting the visitors. Had it pursued equivalent exposure through paid advertising, officials estimated the cost would have reached approximately 19.4 million USD, making the guest program a highly cost-effective alternative.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.