Antalya

During the restoration of the building in the Turkish Central Bank's branch in the southern province of Antalya, which was built in 1963, the details noticed in the vault revealed that extraordinary measures were taken against a robbery attempt, such as reinforced walls and a fake safe entrance.

Foreign tourist arrivals in Antalya, one of Türkiye's major holiday destinations, increased by 133 percent in June from a year ago to nearly 1.9 million people, official data have shown.

Foreign tourist visits to the Mediterranean province have been rising steadily since the start of the year as countries eased travel restrictions after the COVID-19 outlook improved.

Some 350 athletes from 16 countries will strike out in the 16th Kastellorizo-Kaş Open Water Swim Event, also known as "one race in two countries."

The seven-kilometer race will start on June 26 at 9 a.m. from Kastellorizo and end in the southern province of Antalya's Kaş district.

A couple has set sail for a five-year round-the-world tour on their yacht with a special ceremony in the southern province of Antalya.

"This was my childhood dream," Sezgin Tekin, a 63-year-old lawyer, told İhlas News Agency on June 16, just before the departure.

His wife, Betül Tekin, a 59-year-old retired teacher, will accompany him on this journey.

Antalya, one of Turkey's major holiday destinations, has welcomed 3.1 million foreign tourists since the start of the year.

Foreign tourist arrivals in the city, which is located on the Mediterranean coast, increased by 227 percent between Jan. 1 and June 12 from the same period of last year, according to data from the provincial directorate of culture and tourism.

Antalya, one of Turkey's major tourist destinations, targets to host more than 10 million foreign holidaymakers this year, Antalya City Council Tourism Working Group chair Recep Yavuz has said.

More than 2.4 million foreign tourists visited Antalya in January-May, marking a strong 223 percent increase from a year ago, despite the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

In May alone, foreign tourist arrivals in the province, on the Mediterranean coast, lept 297 percent from a year ago to nearly 1.2 million people, according to data provided by the Antalya Governor's Office.

The traditional spring festival of Hıdrellez was celebrated across Turkey with events that started on the evening of May 5 and continued throughout May 6, this time without COVID-19 restrictions.

Housing rent prices in the Mediterranean province of Antalya have skyrocketed from 2,500 to around 10,000 Turkish Liras (from $170 to nearly $680) due to high demand from Ukrainians and Russians, Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ATSO) executive Mustafa Ayanoğlu has said.

Foreign tourists have flocked to the Turkish province of Antalya on the Mediterranean coast to spend their Easter holiday.

In April 2020, only 905 holidaymakers arrived in the tourist hotspot, but in the first two weeks of this month alone, Antalya already welcomed 300,000 travelers, up from 178,000 visitors in the whole of April last year.