Number of expats in Turkey triples

ISTANBUL

The number of expatriates, who traveled to Turkey to spend the Eid al-Adha and summer holiday in the country, has tripled compared to a year ago.

While around 289,000 Turks living abroad came to the country from June 1 to July 20 last year, over 970,000 expatriates entered Turkey through the Kapıkule, Hamzabeyli, İpsala and Dereköy border crossings in the same period of this year.

Some 75 percent of the expatriates used the Kapıkule crossing in the northwestern province of Edirne.

Between June 1 and July 20, more than 190,000 vehicles carrying around 767,000 passengers went through the border crossing alone.

Hüseyin Çolak, who travelled from Germany to Ankara’s Polatlı district, said he covered 2,150 kilometers non-stop.

“I could not visit Turkey last year due to the coronavirus. I missed my country so much. I did not sleep at all during the trip as I wanted to be in my hometown as soon as possible,” Çolak said after he entered the country through the Kapıkule crossing.

Officials tightened inspections on the roads ahead of the busy Eid holiday to prevent accidents.

Despite all measures taken by authorities, in the first five days of the holiday, more than 20 people were killed and over 150 others were injured in road accidents.