Turkey has planning to host four million tourists in 2011.

Turkey-Russia 11th Joint Economic Commission (KEK) held in one of Russian Federation republics Tatarstan’s capital of Kazan on Saturday. In the meeting, two countries signed Tourism protocol which comprises the collaboration between the Russia and Turkey.

Ozgur Ozarslan, Deputy Undersecretary of Turkish Tourism Ministry evaluated the last developments in the tourism sector between the two countries. Ozarslan said Turkish Tourism Ministry is planning to increase the Russian tourist number to four millions in the 2011. He also said 3.1 millions Russian tourist visited Turkey in 2011.

Abolishing the visa regime will positively affect the relationship between Russia and Turkey. The number of the Turkish tourists will double also after the abolishing the visa regime,” Ozarslan said.

Meanwhile, the number of Turkish visitors who visits Moscow increased 35% in 2010.

“With the protocol, two countries will make collaboration in ad, education, and investment. Russians and Turks will make more secure holidays,” Ozaslan also noted.

He also evaluated the security of the tourists. “Our country is very secure. There was only single sad event last year. Russian tourists lost his or her life in traffic accidents, last year. Our tourism and transportation ministerial made common arrangements to increase the motorways security,” He added.

Nearly 7 ministerial are being represented in the KEK meeting. “In the beginning of the meeting Russian Deputy Minister Igor Sechin said they would give very special importance tourism. Sechin also had said their main component would be tourism to develop our relations. As Sechin said tourism is the focal point of the development of two countries,” Ozarslan noted.

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