NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Turkish Airlines, recently voted Europe’s Best Airline at the 2013 Skytrax Passengers Choice Awards for the third consecutive year, announced marked growth in passengers flying to Turkey and many of its other international destinations. The flag carrier of Turkey has experienced a dramatic increase in ticket sales for several years partially as a result of a steep increase in tourism of Turkey. Boasting an incredibly rich culture and history that spans civilizations over 10,000 years coupled with white-sand beaches and crystal clear waters, Turkey is a favorite holiday destination for many around the globe.

Between January and June 2013, Turkish Airlines saw a 25.8 percent increase in global ticket sales over the same period in 2012, a total of more than 22.4 million passengers. The international carrier’s U.S. ticket sales to Turkey jumped 10 percent between May and June 2013 compared to the same months last year. Turkish Airlines’ largest increase in passengers came from Africa, which had a 36.9 percent increase in ticket sales compared to 2012, with Somalia leading the way at 247 percent.

Turkish Airlines’ growth in number of passengers comes at a time when Turkey is enjoying a significant growth in tourism. The country welcomed 10.5 million non-Turkish visitors between January and May 2013, an 18.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Part of this growth is attributed to business travelers as Turkey becomes a worldwide hub for international business with many ambitious projects underway.

“Turkey’s large-scale infrastructure projects, such as Istanbul’s third bridge, third airport and Kanal Istanbul, are important indicators of the stability and confidence in the future of our country,” states Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, Mayor of Istanbul.

In addition to being awarded Europe’s Best Airline three times in a row, Turkish Airlines was also awarded “Best Business Class Catering” at the 2013 Skytrax Passengers Choice Awards for its Flying Chef service on long flights. The Flying Chefs offer passengers a taste of Turkey, with freshly prepared traditional Turkish dishes and a roving meze cart.

“This is an exciting time for the airline, having recently announced our 235^th gateway while enjoying a remarkable increase in global passengers,” states Temel Kotil, Ph.D., CEO of Turkish Airlines. “We welcome all travelers from across the globe to enjoy the unparalleled experience that comes with flying on our airline.”

Located on the crossroads of Anatolia in Western Asia and Southeastern Europe and bordering eight countries, Turkey’s is one of the world’s top travel destinations, with Istanbul now a major hub for international travel. Turkey was recently ranked seventh on Trip Advisor’s list of Travelers’ Choice Destinations for 2012.