Brits flock to Turkey

The fall in the value of the pound against the euro has contributed to increasing numbers of British holidaymakers choosing to travel to Turkey and Egypt, according to a survey that has been conducted by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and the Foreign Office, the Guardian has reported.

The survey found that bookings for summer holidays in Egypt were up by 38% and those for Turkey had gone up by 32%. Bookings for traditional holiday destinations (Greece and Spain) were said to be stable, Turkey have now reached two million, and one million people have bought Egypt packages, said the ABTA.

However these numbers can't compare to the 12 million visiting Spain annually. A spokesman for the ABTA has referenced the credit crunch and its impact on disposable income in the UK – in addition to the declining value of the pound against the euro.

Spain still remains the most popular holiday destination for British tourists, with more than 12 million visiting each year, according to figures obtained from the British Office for National Statistics. France follows in second place, with 7.5 million Brits visiting every year, and Italy coming in third, with 2.5 million British visitors.

In 2008, Turkey came in eighth, with 1.2 million UK holidaymakers choosing the destination outside the Europe.

As one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, Turkey is a country mixed with traditional Islamic culture and a European cosmopolitan vibe, where ancient ruins rest beside some of the globe's most stunning holiday resorts.

The old culture of Turkey is blessed with a wealth of archaeological delights. Many ancient cultures, including Greeks & Romans, ruled the Byzantine Empire in Turkey at one point or another and some of the most beautiful ruins still stand for tourists to marvel at and take in the cultures that once existed here.

Turkey holidays remain among the most fashionable beach holiday destinations in Europe and it's really no wonder why, with the incredible Mediterranean coast with beaches and amenities. Not lacking in anything required by the average holidaymaker, the sun in the Summer is what most people visit Turkey to enjoy. This and the natural beauty of Marmaris, Oludeniz, Kalkan and picturesque Akyaka encourage millions of visitors every year.

If you choose a holiday in Turkey, you're sure to find reasonably priced accommodation to suit your needs, as well. The Turkish capital of Istanbul, a vibrant destination, is where you'll find the mosques and shopping malls. Bartering for souvenirs in the Grand Bazaar, take a stroll along the ancient walls of Istanbul, full of wonder and marvel at the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet. If you prefer a relaxing break, kick back and relax with a traditional Turkish coffee - the city has a flavour it's impossible to forget.

Everyone who visits Turkey returns home with the intention to visit again, thanks to the the welcoming locals and accommodating hotel staff, world reknowned for being among the most friendly and helpful in the world.

Getting to Hagia Sophia from Istanbul Airport

It's easy to get to any Turkish destination near Istanbul from Istanbul airport, including Hagia Sophia, Beyoglu, Taksim, Eyup and Ortakoy.

Booking a hotel in Istanbul online will inevitably lead to offers of an airport-to-hotel transfer, taking approximately 45 minutes. If you would like to book an airport transfer, a simple search on Google for cheap airport transfers turkey returns a list of the most popular agents providing transfers.

Hagia Sophia is probably one of the most popular attractions in Turkey, due to its fine architecture and art. The dome of Hagia Sophia church is huge, towering 64 metres from the ground & 32 metres wide. The church was converted as a mosque and now remains as a museum of Istanbul. If you can, it's widely recommended that you take a full day to explore everything there. It can be expensive, so firstly ask your hotel if they do city tours that include the museum.

For Cheap flights, book with an ABTA verified travel agent.

For a Great Holiday, try Turkey

If you're looking to arrange a holiday for 2009, my recommendation is to try a flight into Turkey. The popular holiday destination received over 24 million visitors last year and with even more expected this year; Turkey is proving to be one of the Mediterranean’s favourite tourist stops.



Although, constantly flirting with Europe, they keep still their own currency; the Turkish Lira and with a good indirect tax against the British pound, now is a good time to look for those inexpensive flights into Turkey. The ideal time to visit is spring to autumn, with the August temperatures, which remain frequent over 30 degrees. There many flights into Turkey available at this time in the holiday season.


Holiday destinations on the coastline of Turkey such as Izmir or Bodrum, Kusadasi are easily accessible. This part of the country is very beautiful and has some great historical places to visit, particularly Ephesus, which is famous for its temple of Artemis, one of the original seven wonders of the old world. Despite its many ranges of beautiful architecture, Turkey has large green landscapes, olive trees stopped against yellow sandy beaches and the always present free blue water of the warm sea.


In order to fly to the along the Mediterranean coastal line, you’d be landing either in Antalya or in Dalyan to visit places such as Alana, Side, Belek, Impeller and Marmaris. This region is known as the 'Turkish Coast' and spoils the holidaymaker with over 1600km of marvellous coastal line, speckled with ruined cities to be investigated. You’ll find the breathtaking Toros Mountains, a joy for sharp ramblers with its mountain traces.


Flights to Turkey from UK airports normally take around 4 to 4 ½ hours. Their tax free allowance, according to the Turkish Web site, is 200 cigarettes plus 50 cigars, 250ml limit on perfumes and 2 bottles (75cl) for spirits and wines.
Whatever your preferences, it’s safe to say that Turkey has exactly what you’re looking for, so search for your cheap flights to Turkey today and enjoy this beautiful, historical and extremely friendly country with your friends and family.

Flights to Dalaman available from Norwich

As of next May Norwich Airport will have flights departing to
Dalaman in Turkey. This is brilliant news for holiday makers in East
Anglia. Flights to Dalaman have been becoming more popular each year for all regions of
the United Kingdom, meaning British tourists who want to fly to Dalaman out of
their local airport in Norwich will finally be able to do so.

A cheap flight to Dalaman Airport allows access to the blue waters of the Turkish coast, where the cheap hotels in Marmaris, Olu
Deniz, Fethiye, Icmeler, Hisonarou and Overcik can be found. It is
hoped that the weekly flights each Thursday between May and October will prove very popular for holiday makers in East Anglia, who until now, have had to travel further to a departing airport,
normally East Midlands, Stansted or Gatwick.

You
can reserve Cheap flights to Dalaman from Norwich and of the rest of the
airports with an online agent. Independent agents do the best deals, just make sure they have ABTA/ATOL protection for peace of mind!