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Turkey has set out plans for its tourism industry in the years leading up to 2023, when it will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.

Speaking after the Tourism Search conference in Antalya, Turkey's undersecretary of tourism and culture, Ismet Yilmaz, said the country could attract 50m foreign visitors a year and $50bn (£25.2 billion) in revenue by 2023.

However, he stressed that Turkey may have to move away from the current dominant model of tourism to achieve its goals, Today's Zaman reports.

'For this to happen, the weight of sun, sea and sand tourism should shrink in the total tourism revenue figures while the share of other types of tourism increases,' Mr Yilmaz said.

The minister added that, as well as establishing new resorts to attract wealthier visitors, the Turkish tourism industry would have to increase capacity in accommodation facilities to at least 1.25m beds.

Turkey must also have a fleet of 500 planes, Mr Yilmaz predicted, as well as 5m people working in the tourism industry, ten conference centres, 40 marinas and 25 seaports.

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