Turkish tourists flocking to the islands for the weekend

More than 5,000 Turkish tourists were expected to arrive in the islands of Lesvos and Chios over the weekend for the Seker Bayram holiday, providing a seasonal boost to local economies.

Around 1,000 visitors arrived in Lesvos from Ayvalik on Saturday, with another wave expected on Sunday.

“This is an important economic boost for the island,” said Aris Lazaris, president of the Lesvos Chamber of Commerce’s tourism sector. Tourism from Turkey has become vital, especially with the recent extension of the express visa program for Aegean islands.

Despite Turkey’s economic and political struggles, arrivals remain strong. “Our goal is to maintain last year’s record-breaking 122,000 visitors,” said Panagiotis Chatzikyriakos, head of Lesvos’ travel agents’ association.

Source: pagenews.gr