Economy

Antalya has the fastest population growth in Turkey in recent
years. Depending on regional development, there has been a significant
increase in immigration to the area from other cities. Tourism,
agriculture and all industry are the economic mainstays of the region.
In terms of population and national income Antalya is 8th.

Antalya is a metropolitan number one tourism city of Turkey. The economy
of city is formed by tourism. Antalya hosts 35% of the tourists coming
to Turkey; and nearly 6-7 million of tourists in a year so tourism is
the backbone of Antalya?s economy; Antalya is regarded as the backbone
of Turkish tourism sector. Antalya attracts visitors throughout the year
and an increasing number of hotels remain open all year round. This
trend is encouraged by the rapid diversification taking place in tourism
sector to encompass such areas as hunting, winter sports, trekking,
health and convention organizations. Specialization in these sub-sectors
of tourism is increasing at the same parallel.

Talia Convention Centre and The Glass Pyramid, which opened in 1997 and
Antalya Expo Centre which opened in April 1999, are all important jump
off points for the expansion of fair and also convention tourism. As
tourism investment continues, the number of tourists visiting Antalya increases by bounds and leaps.

In 2005, the number of tourists visiting Antalya increased from 204
thousand to 7 million. Antalya accounts for roughly 35 % of the total
tourist arrivals when the latter is compared with the number of tourist
arrivals in Turkey, which is 20 million.

Antalya is also an important agricultural center with its ecological
practicability. Agriculture is as important as tourism, in Antalya?s
economy as 19.99% of Antalya?s total area is under plant cultivation
whereas the remaining land is covered with meadows, heath land, pastures
and forests. It is number in green-house. Because of this feature
Antalya sends many kinds of fruit and vegetable to many corners of
Turkey throughout year. Fruit-vegetable and flower are important sources
of income in Antalya.

Industry has grown parallel with tourism and agriculture. Today, there
are 170 industry registered company. Apart from the industrial zone and
free trade zone, there are 11 small industry areas, 3 of which are
situated in the city center and 5.400 offices employ 20.000 people.

In the recent years, Antalya has become one of the few yacht
manufacturing places in the world. Free trade zone produces ultra luxury
yachts that cost million dollars. Since it offers advantages in
taxation, cheap and qualified employee Antalya has become a place where
the yacht producers prefer. In the yacht firms in Antalya free trade
zone approximately 500 employees is employed.