ISTANBUL, March 26 (A.A) - Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar said on Tuesday that, ''we want to make the tourism sector the most important starting point to overcome the problems of our country.''
Tasar left for Moscow, Russia to participate in the 9th International Moscow Travel and Tourism Fair (MITT-Moscow 2002) and to hold a series of contacts on Tuesday.
Speaking at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport before his departure, Tasar said Moscow fair, which was the biggest and the most comprehensive fair of the world, had great importance for Turkey.
Stating that the fair had a significant effect also for the people living in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) when they were determining their travel preferences, Tasar said, ''we have caught an important opportunity to promote Turkey not only in Russia but also in a very wide geography thanks to that fair.''
Tasar stated that they were in an effort to attract more intensive tourism demand to the country by representing Turkey with the widest stand at the fair.
Tasar went on saying, ''we broke records of all times from the point of view of the number of the tourists visiting Turkey and tourism incomes we obtained in 2001. We want to make the tourism sector the most important starting point to overcome the problems of our country.''
Tasar said that a circular signed by Interior Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen was published to ease the entries and exits of passangers from border gates.
The proceedings will be easier during the application which will be valid between May 15-October 30 except passangers who look suspicious and who are aggressive.
Tasar said that the Turkish Maritime Management decreased the port fees by 45-80 percent and the city tolls by 10-50 percent for passanger ships that use the ports. Tasar noted that the passanger ships tours started to include Turkey in their 2003 programmes due to that development.