Adha

Locals, as well as foreign tourists, are thronging Istanbul's historical sites to make the most out of the long Eid al-Adha holiday, with particularly Eminönü, Hagia Sophia and Eyüpsultan witnessing a huge influx of visitors enjoying their time exploring the places and trying out traditional delicacies.

Türkiye marks the occasion of Eid al-Adha with conflicting emotions, as the 11 southern quake-hit provinces observe a somber Eid with quake survivors visiting the graves of their loved ones to pay their respects.

In the first two days of the nine-day-long Eid al-Adha holiday, more than 35,000 tourists have visited the Cappadocia region, bringing the occupancy rate of hotels to 100 percent.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has strongly condemned the burning of the Muslim holy book the Quran in Sweden on June 28, further clouding the Nordic nation's chances of quickly joining NATO.

"We will not bow to the politics of provocation and threat. We will show our opposition against Islamophobia," Erdoğan said in a video message to celebrate Eid al-Adha of his party's members. 

Türkiye is immersed in the celebrations of Eid al-Adha, one of the most significant Muslim holidays that mark the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage and hold immense religious importance, second only to Eid al-Fitr.

With the beginning of the nine-day Eid al-Adha holiday, millions of people seeking to spend this break outside their cities have hit the roads, causing heavy traffic congestion, especially on routes leading to famous holiday destinations.

Even though the Eid al-Adha will start on June 28 and last for four days, the break was extended to nine days.

As the parliament prepares to commence its duty next week, the agenda is expected to include a limitation on house rent increases and a one-time tax-free right to purchase mobile phones and computers for young people, local media has reported.

The Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, which usually increases domestic tourism activity, has also helped boost sales on e-commerce platforms in Türkiye.

Online shopping rose around 30 percent, with sales of certain items, such as deep freezers and tires, increasing significantly, said Hakan Çevikoğlu, head of the E-commerce Enterprises Association (ETİD).

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with the leaders of 8 countries on the occasion of Eid al-Adha on July 9. 

There were 5,102 people hospitalized for injuries while sacrificing animals on the first day of the Eid al-Adha across the country, Demirören News Agency has reported.

"The emergency rooms of hospitals were filled by inexperienced butchers," the agency said on July 10.