Kuwaiti tourists arrive in Bursa on first flight

BURSA -Doğan News Agency

Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, draws a lot of Arab tourists. DAILY NEWS photo, Hasan ALTINIŞIK

Freebird Airlines carried 180 Kuwaiti tourists on the first direct flight from Kuwait to the Yenişehir Airport in the northwestern province of Bursa. The airplane was welcomed with the bouquets of flowers by representatives from the airport and Perpax tourism agency, which organized the reciprocal trips between Kuwait and Bursa.

A total of 14 reciprocal flights are planned in August and September; one flight from Bursa to Kuwait every Tuesday, and one from Kuwait to Bursa early every Wednesday. The flight calendar will be scheduled in winter upon demand.

“Kuwait has been ranked in second place among the countries from which the most tourists visit Bursa. There is no obstacle to transportation between Kuwait and Bursa, so we can expect more Kuwaiti guests now,” Perpax tourism general manager Turabi Aydın said.

He added that there was similar demand for direct flights to Bursa from some other Middle Eastern countries.

Turkey has recently become a popular destination for Arab tourists, and Bursa is one of their favorite spots in Turkey. Figures from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism show bookings from the Arab world, specifically Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, have increased over the last decade.

Tourism sector representatives point out the important role of Arab tourists in the potential rise of tourism revenues. European tourists spend approximately 800 dollars a week in Turkey, although Arab tourists spend four times that amount, ranging on average between 3,000-3,500 dollars, the sector figures show.