Eid al-Adha

Antalya, one of Türkiye's major destinations for local and international holidaymakers, welcomed around 4 million visitors during the Eid al-Adha holiday.

More than 1 million vehicles and nearly 7,200 buses entered the Mediterranean city during the long holiday, according to local officials. The airplane traffic at Antalya Airport reached 4,300.

A child plays at the Byzantine-era Hagia Sophia, which was recently controversially converted into a mosque, on the first day of Eid al-Adha in Istanbul, Sunday. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha by sacrificing animals to commemorate the prophet Ibrahim's faith in being willing to sacrifice his son. [AP]

Kurban Bayramı, a.k.a. the Feast of Sacrifice, must be the most carnivorous of all holidays and celebrations in Türkiye. Known as Eid al-Adha for the rest of the Muslim world, it is one of the two most important holidays of the Islamic year. As its name suggests, it is celebrated by sacrificing an animal in the name of God.

The first day of Eid al-Adha has witnessed a mass exodus from urban centers as vacationers flocked to coastal resorts to relish their holidays.

Citizens across Türkiye celebrated Eid al-Adha with prayers at major mosques, while leaders emphasized messages of peace and security.

Eid al-Adha celebrations began with prayers across Türkiye, as citizens gathered in mosques early in the morning.

The country has completed its final preparations for the four-day Eid al-Adha amidst travel precautions and the hustle and bustle of shopping centers.

Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice, is set to begin on June 16, with the symbolic sacrifice of livestock as part of the rituals associated with the festival.

Nearly 10 million people in Türkiye are expected to travel during the nine-day Eid holiday to visit relatives and friends and take advantage of the prolonged respite, a sector representative has said.

Although the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice, traditionally spans four days, its extension to nine days has prompted many in the country to make travel plans.

Bodrum, the beloved tourist haven for both domestic and international visitors, is poised for a bustling Eid al-Adha period, with the population expected to swell to 1 million.

The coastal city faces a high demand for accommodation as the Eid holiday, which was extended to a nine-day period, coincides with summer vacations.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has delivered a message against escalating Islamophobia and xenophobia in Western countries, calling for joint action to combat the alarming trends.

The Eid al-Adha holiday not only saw an influx of people rushing to resort towns to beat the heat during the nine-day break away from the hustle and bustle of cities, but communication lines stayed busy as well, with over 21 billion minutes of phone calls made during the holiday, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.