Turkey is determined to strengthen its central position in all aspects of tourism, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım told a world tourism conference in Istanbul on Thursday.

Speaking at the World Tourism Forum, Yıldırım said that Turkey's tourism sector continues to grow at a fast speed and will work to ensure that all cities throughout the country attract tourists.

Yıldırım said that the total number of tourists visiting Turkey in 2002 was around 13 million, whereas 40 million people visited the country in 2016, almost a three-fold increase.

"Turkey's tourism revenue rose from 12 billion dollars to 30 billion dollars" Yıldırım said.

The prime minister highlighted that tourism does not only provide economic benefits, but also contributes to global peace and friendship.

"As countries of the world, we must take necessary precautions and cooperate in tourism" Yıldırım said.

Referring to the recent terror attacks throughout the world, Yıldırım said that all countries are threatened by terrorism, but this should not stop people from traveling as it will only benefit the terrorists who want to spread fear and paralyze daily life.