Istanbul, Jun 24 (IANS): The number of foreign tourists to Turkey surged to 4.5 million in May, amounting to a 16.2-per cent year-on-year increase, the Culture and Tourism Ministry said.

The Mediterranean resort of Antalya topped the list of most popular destinations by hosting 1.51 million visitors, slightly leading Istanbul with 1.5 million visitors, followed by the Aegean province of Mugla and the northwestern province of Edirne, hosting 380,899 and 349,123 foreigners respectively, according to the Ministry figures released on Friday.

Antalya is famed for its beautiful beaches and inviting waters, while Istanbul straddling Europe and Asia is a popular tourist attraction with its Ottoman-era palaces, Byzantine heritage and museums.

Russians topped the list of visitors, followed by Germans and Britons, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the data, 14.3 million foreign tourists visited Turkey between January and May this year.

The country has kept its target of receiving 60 million tourists and earning $56 billion in tourism revenue in 2023 despite the devastating earthquake earlier this year and the recent elections, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy told Turkish business daily Dunya on Friday.

In 2022, 51.4 million tourists visited Turkey, bringing the country $46.3 billion in revenue.