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.

The Greek consul in Turkey’s Aegean city of Izmir is more than happy with the boom. “Increasing the number of tourists mutually is one of our major goals,” Argyro Papoulia said in a recent interview, noting that close to 1 million Turks traveled to Greece last year. Bilateral trade has also progressed, he said, adding, “Our goal is to advance together as partners and develop peaceful ties.”

According to figures from border crossing and customs authorities, some 117,000 Turks crossed to Greece by road and sea during the 10-day holiday; however, that figure does not include those who used railroads and air travel. Turks are estimated to have spent at least 500 million Turkish lira ($145 million) in Greece during the said period.