THE number of tourists arriving in March to Antalya – considered the “tourism capital” of Turkey – dropped by 36 percent compared to the same period last year.

The biggest loss was from Europe: 337,663 tourists came to Antalya in the first three months of 2017. The loss rate was 27 percent compared to the 460,000 that came in the same period last year.

For March itself, the loss reached 36 percent. According to Antalya Airport, the number of tourists arriving was 257,000.

Among the European countries with the most decline in March, Switzerland topped the list with 72 per cent.

According to the statistics of the Antalya Governorship Airport Administration Administration, the number of tourists coming from European countries in March fell sharply.

The number of tourists coming from Germany, where Turkey is experiencing political tension, declined by 58 percent compared to the previous year; the number of tourists in Denmark declined 47 percent and the number of tourists from Holland was 41 percent. There was a 49 percent decline in tourists from the UK.

However, with the warming of relations with Russia, Antalya saw an 816 percent increase in arrivals.

Tourists arriving in March (Antalya Governorship)