ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey, a largely Muslim nation that bridges Europe and Asia, has a flourishing tourist industry based on ancient historical sites and ruins, a world-ranked metropolis in Istanbul, wide sandy Mediterranean beaches and stunning regions of natural beauty.
Turkey attracted more than 37.7 million visitors in 2012, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which says the country is among the top 10 most popular tourist destinations in the world.
While protesters and riot police have clashed for days in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities over the past week, the museums, monuments and ancient treasures that tourists flock to have largely stayed open.
Yet Istanbul's main tourist attractions are a fair distance — at least 30 minutes — from Taksim Square and Besiktas, where most of the violence has broken out, and tourists were still lining up for entrance tickets.
Some tourists ventured into Taksim Square in the morning, when the situation was quiet and protesters were mainly sleeping off the previous night's tear gas.
Tejura began to take photos and videos with her iPhone, and strangers offered her access to their home Wi-Fi passwords as she passed by.
German, British and Russian tourists descend by the planeload upon southern Turkey to revel in its modern Mediterranean beach resorts, its classical Greek and Roman monuments and the nearby lunar volcanic landscapes of Cappadocia.
Turkish Airlines has embarked on a big international push, hiring sports stars like Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi to lure tourists with clever ads.
The Hurriyet newspaper quoted Osman Ayik, head of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation, as saying the situation in Antalya on Turkey's southern Mediterranean coast is "calm."
The Istanbul bid committee itself issued a statement saying "despite these recent events, all sections of Turkey remain united in our dream to host our nation's first-ever Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020."
FIFA says the anti-government protests in Turkey aren't expected to disrupt the Under-20 World Cup tournament, which begins there on June 21.
The Istanbul home of Turkish champion Galatasaray is scheduled to host 11 matches, including two group games for the United States.
FIFA says it has "full confidence" in the Turkish authorities and their security plan for the 24-nation event.
Turkey attracted more than 37.7 million visitors in 2012, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which says the country is among the top 10 most popular tourist destinations in the world.
While protesters and riot police have clashed for days in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities over the past week, the museums, monuments and ancient treasures that tourists flock to have largely stayed open.
Yet Istanbul's main tourist attractions are a fair distance — at least 30 minutes — from Taksim Square and Besiktas, where most of the violence has broken out, and tourists were still lining up for entrance tickets.
Some tourists ventured into Taksim Square in the morning, when the situation was quiet and protesters were mainly sleeping off the previous night's tear gas.
Tejura began to take photos and videos with her iPhone, and strangers offered her access to their home Wi-Fi passwords as she passed by.
German, British and Russian tourists descend by the planeload upon southern Turkey to revel in its modern Mediterranean beach resorts, its classical Greek and Roman monuments and the nearby lunar volcanic landscapes of Cappadocia.
Turkish Airlines has embarked on a big international push, hiring sports stars like Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi to lure tourists with clever ads.
The Hurriyet newspaper quoted Osman Ayik, head of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation, as saying the situation in Antalya on Turkey's southern Mediterranean coast is "calm."
The Istanbul bid committee itself issued a statement saying "despite these recent events, all sections of Turkey remain united in our dream to host our nation's first-ever Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020."
FIFA says the anti-government protests in Turkey aren't expected to disrupt the Under-20 World Cup tournament, which begins there on June 21.
The Istanbul home of Turkish champion Galatasaray is scheduled to host 11 matches, including two group games for the United States.
FIFA says it has "full confidence" in the Turkish authorities and their security plan for the 24-nation event.
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