Πάνω από 30 εκατομμύρια τουρίστες επισκέφτηκαν την Τουρκία το 2011

3,5 εκατομμύρια Ρώσοι επισκέφθηκαν το 2011, την Τουρκία

250% αύξηση σε 8 χρόνια για τους Τούρκους,

25% μείωση σε 8 χρόνια για την Ελλάδα

Πάνω κι από τις πιό αισιόδοξες προβλέψεις ήταν ο τουρισμός της Τουρκίας, σύμφωνα με τον Υπουργό Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού της χώρας, Ertugrul Gunay, ο οποίος ανέφερε ότι τους 11 πρώτους μήνες, οι τουρίστες..

που επισκέφθηκαν στην Τουρκία ήταν πάνω από 30 εκ.

Με το κλείσιμο της χρονιάς, ο αριθμός αυτός αναμένεται να  προσεγγίσει  τα 33 εκατομμύρια. Πάνω από 3,5 εκατομμύρια από αυτούς είναι Ρώσοι !

Η Τουρκία είχε 13 εκ.τουρίστες το 2003 και

33 το 2011. 

Η Ελλάδα

11,5 εκατομμύρια τουρίστες υποδέχθηκε η Ελλάδα το 2011

14 εκατομμύρια τουρίστες υποδέχθηκε η Ελλάδα το 2003.

Στο διάστημα 2003-2011, ο τουρισμός προς την Τουρκία αυξήθηκε κατά 250%, ενώ προς την Ελλάδα, μειώθηκε κατά 25%.

Αυτή είναι η πικρή αλήθεια των αριθμών.

TURKEY, RUSSIA IMPROVE TIES, EYE FURTHER COOPERATION TURKEY, RUSSIA IMPROVE TIES, EYE FURTHER COOPERATION MOSCOW — Historic steps between Turkey and Russia in the fields of energy, trade, politics and tourism have helped to improve bilateral ties between the two countries. The visa exemption that seemed impossible five years ago is a symbolic indicator of the mutual trust between Russia and Turkey. The parties are now considering increasing a visa-free stay from one month to two in 2012. Despite some partial problems in bilateral relations, the number of Russian tourists who visited Turkey has exceeded 3.5 million; and the number of Turks visiting Russia increased by 40 percent in 2011. Russia, which has started construction of the Akkuyu nuclear plant in Mersin, set aside $20 billion for this endeavor, which is the largest Russian investment outside of Russia. During his visit to Moscow in the final week of the year, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız gave the green light for South Stream pipeline project, which consolidated the NEWS ANALYSIS Faruk Akkan TODAY'S ZAMAN rapprochement between the countries, resulting in Russia lowering the price of natural gas for Turkey. During the visit, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin made the following historic statement: "Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan kept all the promises he made. This is like a New Year's gift for us. Turks are reliable partners.'' Improved bilateral relations in the fields of commerce, tourism and economy will remain so in 2012. Russia, which just joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), will reduce the customs tariffs from 10 percent to 7 percent, which will affect bilateral trade positively. There are more than 500 Turkish chain stores in Russia. Turkish exports, which were $6.5 billion in 2011. will grow further. The total volume of bilateral trade, which was set at $100 billion by the leaders, will no longer be a dream. Constructive results are also expected out of the talks in 2012 on the Samsun-Ceyhan Pipeline. Presidential elections will be held in Russia on March 4, 2012. In the new Russia where Putin will move to the Kremlin and current president Dmitri Medvedev will become the new prime minister, a tougher foreign policy and more lenient domestic environment can be expected; this state of leniency will attract further investments. The missile shield to be created under the leadership of the US, the reflections of Arab Spring in Russia, the Iranian nuclear crisis and the Caucasus are the hottest issues in Russian foreign policy. Even though Georgia's NATO membership bid, issues related to the lack of a solution to Nagorno-Karabakh and current developments in the Middle East will make relations between Moscow and the West tense; however, relations with Ankara are not expected to deteriorate. The Kremlin, graciously remembers that Turkey did not allow passage of American warships through the Straits in August 2008. Moscow, under Putin's leadership, will likely expand its sphere of influence in the former Soviet territories. Hie Customs Union created with the participation of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus will transform into the Eurasian Community by the end of the year. The union, which secured a 30 percent increase in internal trade despite ongoing economic crisis in the West, will also be Joined by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and others. The relevant states are taking slow but decisive steps to create a Eurasian Community modeled on. the European Union. The strong relations that Turkey has established with Eurasia based on mutual trust and interests will be the assurance of stability and peace in the region where uncertainties are prevalent