ANKARA, Turkey — At a time when Turkey’s tourism sector is struggling, the number of Turks flocking to Greece has risen extraordinarily, a trend that many believe is driven by both economic and political factors.
Scrambling to boost its tourism industry, Ankara last month decided to extend the four-day Eid al-Adha holiday to 10 days, but the move seems to have benefited the Greek tourism sector as well. Out of the 1 million Turks who went on holiday during that period, 10% flocked to nearby Greek islands and other touristic sites in the neighboring country. The island of Lipsi, for instance, welcomed as many Turks as its own population of 600 people.