Α religious holiday in neighboring Turkey in tandem with an express visa process for Turkish citizens wishing to visit a several eastern Aegean islands for up to a week has generated highly optimistic forecasts this month for early season arrivals.
Initial estimates have more than 100,000 holiday makers from Turkey expected to visit Lesvos alone this year, up by 20 percent from last year. Roughly 1,700 Turkish visitors arrived at Lesvos’ port of Mytilene on Thursday from the opposite mainland port of Ayvalık with five ferry boat routes.
The Muslim holiday of Şeker bayramı, as it’s known in Turkish, is commemorated this year between April 6 and April 14, meaning it will culminate over the weekend, which marks an auspicious time for travel.
Some 1,000 Turkish citizens landing on Lesvos are expected to issue their visas at the port via the express procedure, something repeatedly requested by tourism and travel professionals on every eastern Aegean island.
No glitches or delays were recorded in Mytilene on Thursday.
