Türkiye stands out as an attractive destination for Chinese tourists, having hosted over 400,000 last year, China’s ambassador to Ankara, Jiang Xuebin, said, according to remarks published on Monday.
Emphasizing that Türkiye’s tourism centers are attractive to Chinese travelers, Jiang said, "Türkiye appeals to Chinese tourists. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Türkiye.
"In 2024, more than 409,000 Chinese tourists came to Türkiye. Compared to the previous year, this represents a 65.1% increase, making China the fastest-growing market among international visitors," he told Anadolu Agency (AA).
Speaking to AA, the ambassador evaluated trade and tourism relations between Ankara and Beijing. He noted that Türkiye has become a globally recognized tourism destination in recent years due to its rich history, diverse culture and numerous tourist attractions.
Jiang participated in the "Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition," organized by the Chinese Embassy in Ankara, which was held in Uçhisar as part of the Nevşehir Culture Route Festival, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Nevşehir is the eighth stop on the festival's route, which includes 20 different Turkish cities this year.
Having served in Türkiye for over six months, the ambassador highlighted that he has witnessed the magnificent and ancient civilizations of Anatolia and expressed his belief that relations between the two countries will strengthen over time, which will have a positive impact on tourism.
Jiang stated that many tourist regions in Türkiye, including Cappadocia, are among the must-see places for Chinese tourists and said: "Remarkable and rich results have been achieved in the cultural and tourism cooperation between China and Türkiye. Last year, a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation was signed between the two countries, facilitating the development of tourism infrastructure, increasing flight services, establishing online promotional platforms and organizing cultural performances. Recently, the civil aviation authorities of both countries significantly increased passenger flight rights."
"In the future, the two sides will deepen cooperation in areas such as history, culture, art and archaeology, further enhancing mutual understanding and encouraging more Chinese tourists to visit Türkiye," he added.
Jiang also recalled that throughout history, the Silk Road has closely connected China and Türkiye, laying the groundwork for friendly cooperation that has made history and that Türkiye is a natural partner of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
He also said that trade volume between the two countries has increased, and Türkiye has become one of China's major trading partners, citing a positive trend in ties.
"In recent years, under the shared interest and leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, China-Türkiye relations have maintained a positive development trend. The alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the Middle Corridor Plan has accelerated and bilateral contacts at all levels have increased," he suggested.
"Positive progress has been made in concrete cooperation in all fields. With bilateral trade volume reaching $48.3 billion last year, China has risen to become Türkiye’s second-largest trading partner in the world."
Jiang also emphasized that 10 years have passed since the intergovernmental cooperation agreement under the Belt and Road Initiative was signed and that both countries have benefited from the growing cooperation during this period. He added that China encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Türkiye to help it achieve green development and rise in the global value chain.
