In pictures - Turkey's tourism boom

From pristine beaches and clear blue waters to historical sites spanning back millennia, millions choose Turkey for their holiday each year.

People enjoy the Kaputas Beach during a summer day in the resort town of Kalkan in Turkey's Antalya province on August 27, 2018. Kaputas Beach known with its turquoise color, located between Kalkan and Kas districts in southwest of Turkey.
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People enjoy the Kaputas Beach during a summer day in the resort town of Kalkan in Turkey's Antalya province on August 27, 2018. Kaputas Beach known with its turquoise color, located between Kalkan and Kas districts in southwest of Turkey.

The number of people coming to Turkey for tourism is going up according to the latest industry data.

Last year more than 45 million tourists, including Turkish nationals who live in other countries, visited the Mediterranean state, marking a record for the country's tourism sector.

Officials expect to break a new record in the number of arrivals this year.

Here are some of the country's top destinations that attract tourists from around the world for their natural, historical, and cultural appeal.

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An aerial view of the Galata Tower in Istanbul, Turkey on March 02, 2018.

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An interior view of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey on January 09, 2019.

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Maiden's Tower is seen as people have a talk and take a walk at Salacak beach during a sunny day in Istanbul, Turkey on March 01, 2019.

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Tourists wave their hands as they pose for a photo at the Aspendos, an ancient Greco-Roman city in Antalya, Turkey on April 13, 2017. Aspendos and Perga are two of the most touristic places visited by Chinese tourists.

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A view of Side Ancient City, the one of the tourist attraction in Turkey, on November 30, 2017 in Manavgat district of Antalya, Turkey.

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A view of the Celsus Library at Ancient Ephesus City in Izmir, Turkey on July 25, 2018. Celsus Library was built in honour of the Roman Senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, completed between circa 114–117 A.D. by Celsus' son, Gaius Julius Aquila.

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A view of the layers of limestones and travertines at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pamukkale in the ancient city of Hierapolis on August 11, 2018 in Denizli, Turkey. Thermal water have been running at Pamukkale for 2500 years. Despite the hot weather, layers of limestones and travertines of Pamukkale attract many tourists.

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Hot-air balloons glide above fairy chimneys in the historical Cappadocia region, a UNESCO world heritage site, in Central Anatolia's Nevsehir province, Turkey on December 28, 2018.

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An aerial view of a beach and vessels at the shore of Oludeniz from 1,700 meters high track at the Babadag Air Sports and Recreation Center in Fethiye district of Mugla, Turkey on October 16, 2018. Oludeniz attracts many tourists interested in air sports as it offers views of nature along with the sea.

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A general view of Bodrum Castle and port in Bodrum, city of Mugla, Turkey.

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People visit the ancient site and legendary the "Pool of Sacred Fish" (Balikligol), also know as the "Pool of Abraham" in Sanliurfa, Turkey on January 26, 2019.

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