TURKEY: Targeting Visitors From Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain

Turkey is targeting visitors from Oman during Eid Al Adha in a bid to bolster tourism numbers following the country's recent failed coup attempt.

Salih Ozer, an official from The Turkish Cultural and Tourism Office in Dubai, told Times of Oman: "The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism is looking to visitors from Oman and other Gulf countries to offset the recent slump in the nation's tourist numbers."

Tourism is vital to Turkey's GDP and political instability, and terrorism, has taken a toll on the sector.

Data from the Tourism Ministry showed Turkish tourist arrivals fell 40.86% year-on-year in June this year, with 2.44 million people arriving during the month. The data reveals the biggest drop on record, which goes back to 1994.

"In the past, visitors from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain have represented the highest volume of visitors to the nation.

"We hope that the upcoming Eid Al Adha holidays will help boost tourist revenue, especially since the safety and comfort of tourists is being handled with the utmost care," Ozer added.