Ürgüp

An unprecedented archaeological discovery of a necropolis, unlike the distinctive rock-craved graves, has been uncovered in Cappadocia, one of Türkiye's most important tourism centers.

The Cappadocia region has broken the visitor record with nearly 5 million local and foreign tourists in 2023 as one of the top tourism centers in Türkiye.

"There is an increase of approximately 21 percent during 2023 compared to 2022. This figure is the highest number of all time, a record," said Nevşehir Mayor Ali Fidan.

Cappadocia, the popular destination in the central Anatolian province of Nevşehir, broke a new visitor record.

The Cultural Road Festivals, which started with the Beyoğlu Cultural Road Festival two years ago to contribute to Türkiye's international brand value, will be organized this year in 11 cities, namely Nevşehir, Trabzon, Erzurum, Çanakkale, Gaziantep, Ankara, Konya, Diyarbakır, Istanbul, İzmir and Antalya.

The third international Balloon Fest will bring together colorful hot air balloons featuring various special shapes between July 21 and 24 in Cappadocia, the historical region in Central Anatolia famous for its fairy chimneys, with the participation of 12 countries.

Some 477,757 people have visited Cappadocia, the historical region in Central Anatolia famous for its fairy chimneys, in May this year, a number nearly eight times higher than the same month the previous year, the Governor's Office of the province of Nevşehir has announced.

"In May 2021, the number of the visitors was 61,634," said the office in a statement on June 7.

"GAP Tour," which comprises seven cities in Turkey's southeast, will now be called "Mesopotamian Tour" to promote tourism, a marketing strategy inspired by the "Cappadocia Tour" in the Central Anatolian region, a top local tourism chief has said.

Two settlements in Turkey have been included in the U.N.'s Best Tourism Villages list, the U.N. World Tourism Organizations (UNWTO) have said.

Mustafapaşa, a town in the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir, and Taraklı, a small district in the northwestern province of Sakarya, are among the "best examples of villages embracing tourism to provide opportunity," the U.N. body said.

A 175-year-old mansion, which has been restored and converted into a museum in the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir's Ürgüp district, displays 3,200 folkloric dolls reflecting the cultures of 80 countries.

In place of an ordinary wedding ceremony, a couple chose to solemnize their marriage in a hot air balloon flying over the historical Cappadocia region.

"I am very very happy," said 23-year-old groom, İbrahim Korkmaz, after getting married to his 24-year-old bride, Gülten Kaya, above 1,000 meters in the sky.