AA, ANKARA: Turkey has huge investment and earning potential in the tourism sector, said the country’s president on Saturday.

Speaking at the opening of NG Phaselis Bay Hotel in the Kemer district of Turkey’s Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic along with the rapid vaccination process will accelerate even more in the coming weeks.

“Our country has gradually started to come off the lists of travel restrictions. We welcome the decision taken by Russia, after France, in this direction,” said Erdogan.

“We will be able to ensure that our tourism professionals seize this opportunity at least in the second half of the 2021 season,” he added.

Erdogan said that with the mass vaccination campaign the country is now entering a new period and that he is hopeful the country will reach higher figures this year in the tourism sector.

“I recommend our investors to prepare for this new period in advance. During this time, it has been seen once again that tourists who take a vacation in Turkey cannot easily give up on our country,” he said.

“Both those who prefer our country win and Turkey wins. Hopefully, with this win-win policy, we will constantly increase our position in tourism.”

Erdogan said they will continue to work towards the goal of making Turkey an international brand in the tourism sector as they did in other sectors such as health, defense, construction, and textile.

In the opening ceremony, Erdogan was accompanied by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, and Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank as well as first lady Emine Erdogan.

Erdogan visited Antalya on Friday to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum -- with Anadolu Agency its global communication partner.