Turkish Culture & Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay said on Thursday that they would seriously fine tourism facilities which asked high prices from tourists.
Gunay held a press conference at International Tourism Bourse Fair in Berlin prior to his departure from Germany.
Tourism facilities were warned against overbooking and high prices, said Gunay, adding that they saw tourism as a very long-term development project.
Noting that tourism was a peace project in the world, Gunay said that people learned about each other’s cultures more through tourism, and this paved the way for peace.
Gunay said that Germany was one of the most important countries which made cooperation with Turkey in culture and tourism areas, adding that nearly four million of 28.6 million tourists, who visited Turkey in 2010, were Germans.
The number of tourists visiting Turkey was up 6 percent year-on-year in 2010 and reached 28.6 million. This figure is expected to be around 30 million by the end of 2011.
International Tourism Bourse Fair began on March 9, and will end on March 13.
Fifty-one hotels, 29 unions, 8 governor’s offices and 22 travel agencies are attending the fair.
Visitors have the opportunity to have a virtual travel to Turkey with 3-D glasses and taste traditional Turkish cuisine including sherbet (a type of sweet beverage peculiar to Turkey), dried fruit, hazelnuts, pistachio nuts, ring-shaped bread with sesame seeds, Turkish coffee and Turkish delight.
Moreover, Wines of Turkey is promoting 34 different types of wines.
Christian visitors can write their wishes on small papers, and those papers will be brought to St. Paul’s Church in Tarsus town of Turkey’s southern province of Mersin together with an offered candle. Those interested can also have a virtual tour at the St. Paul’s Church.