Al-Istanbul: How Turkey’s largest city became a hub for Arab tourists

Report: İpek Yezdani / İpek İzci

Hurriyet Daily News - Wednesday,September 2 2015

More and more Arab tourists visit Istanbul nowadays, but why do they choose this city? What do they think about Turks? What do Turks think about them? And what do Arabs in Turkey think of each other? Our reporters interviewed both sides on the streets of Istanbul and summarized their findings in this point-by-point report.

1) Why do Arabs visit Turkey? 
•They say they feel more comfortable and safe in Istanbul. 
•They find Turkey both European and close to home. They find it safe. They enjoy hearing the call to prayer and having the means to religious service whenever it is necessary. 
•Pretty much all of them have been influenced by Turkish TV shows.  
•They like five-star hotels on the Bosporus as well as the ones in Talimhane and Sultanahmet. 
•Among the reasons is the fact that they can consume halal products. 
•They like iskender and simit the most. They are crazy about kumpir. Their dessert of choice is usually baklava but only if it is with ice-cream. 
•Alongside Istanbul, they also prefer Bursa, Bolu, Abant, Yalova and Trabzon. They almost never cross to the Asian side of Istanbul.

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