'Cappadocia's balloons flew half a million tourists'

Although the number of flying days has decreased in Cappadocia, one of the most important hot air balloon centers in the world, nearly half a million tourists viewed the region from the sky last year.

Graphic: Kardelen Şahin/AA

NEVŞEHİR - Murat Kaya

In Cappadocia, one of the world's most important hot air balloon centers, nearly half a million tourists viewed the region from the sky last year, despite a decrease in the number of flying days.

With around 2.5 million domestic and foreign visitors each year, about one in three tourists ride in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia.

The balloons, which take off from the town of Göreme in the early morning when weather conditions are most suitable, attract intense interest from those looking to view the fairy chimneys and natural beauties created by the lava spewing from Erciyes and Hasandağı.

Göreme Mayor Nuri Cingil stated that if weather conditions are favorable, flights can take place on average for 300 days a year, and on some days during the tourism season, 150 balloons can take off due to high demand.

Cingil explained that tourists visiting the region have the opportunity to take a balloon ride and explore Cappadocia, saying, "In 2014, there were 319 days of flights, with 434,639 passengers on 26,708 hot air balloons seeing the region from the sky. In 2015, despite 266 days of flights, 498,812 passengers rode on 27,775 hot air balloons. According to these figures, interest in hot air balloon rides increased by 14 percent compared to the previous year."