ISTANBUL : Trkiye welcomed 35.8 million foreign tourists in the first eight months of 2024, marking a 7.1% increase compared to the same period last year, the Culture and Tourism Ministry reported on Tuesday. Russian citizens led the influx, with 4.55 million visitors during the January-August period, followed closely by Germany with 4.38 million and the UK with 3.1 million tourists. Istanbul, Trkiye's largest city and a major tourist destination, received 34.3% of all foreign visitors, totaling nearly 12.27 million. The Mediterranean resort city of Antalya followed, attracting 11 million foreign tourists, while Edirne, located in northwestern Trkiye near the borders of Bulgaria and Greece, welcomed 3.36 million visitors. In August alone, the number of foreign tourists visiting Trkiye reached 6.82 million, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 2.47%. In 2023, Trkiye recorded 49.2 million tourist arrivals, compared to 44.5 million in 2022. Source: Anadolu Agency