“Istanbul’s tourism to earn $10.2 billion” and Istanbul news roundup

Some 9.4 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Istanbul this year, thus marking the city the third with the largest rise in the number of tourists. DAILY NEWS photo, Hasan ALTINIŞIK

Istanbul’s tourism to earn $10.2 billion

by ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News
Tourism revenues in 2011 will grow fastest in Istanbul among some 132 cities over the globe, surpassing even New York and Amsterdam in terms of number of visitors, according to research. Forecast for revenues stands at $10.2 billion

Istanbul: Where Europe and Asia collide
CNN
By George Webster for CNN This month, MainSail reports on the Extreme Series Grand Prix in Istanbul. Here we present a waterfront guide to this timeless, vibrant city. (CNN) — With its jumble of Byzantine cathedrals, Ottoman mosques and contemporary

Istanbul secures presence in World Heritage List
Hurriyet Daily News
Istanbul has finally been assured that it will not be threatened with exclusion from UNESCO’s World Heritage List, according to a decision made by the organization’s board Thursday in Paris. Last year, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee issued a

Countdown starts for Istanbul Jazz Festival
Hurriyet Daily News
Featuring over 40 concerts and more than 300 local and foreign artists, the 18th Istanbul Jazz Festival will kick off Friday, continuing through until July 19. Building on its success last year, the second Tünel Feast will be run the first weekend of

Four of the best hotels in Istanbul
Telegraph.co.uk
From a former Ottoman palace to stylish boutique hotels, the four best places to stay in Istanbul, as selected by Francesca Syz. This quietly brilliant and intimate boutique hotel is the ideal option for those looking for something stylish,

Srebrenica massacre to be marked in Istanbul
Hurriyet Daily News
Thousands of pairs of shoes marking victims who perished will be placed in Istanbul’s busy spots Young people of Bosnian descent commemorate the victims of the Srebrenica massacre in Istanbul by placing shoes in memory of those killed during the strife

Exploring Istanbul: The Journey Begins at the Taksim Square
Daily Bhaskar
People say places leave memories in your heart, but I left my heart in Istanbul. Turkey’s largest city which spans over two continents, Europe and Asia, is a perfect blend of cultures for centuries.The city is not only modern and vivacious but,

Istanbul Jazz Festival opens with ceremony

from Hurriyet Dailynews by ISTANBUL- Hurriyet Daily news
18th Istanbul Jazz Festival kicked off Thursday night with an award ceremony at Esma Sultan Mansion

‘Greek Painters of Istanbul’ to continue at Topkapı Palace
Hurriyet Daily News
The groundbreaking ?Greek Painters of Istanbul at the Topkapı Palace? exhibition, which brings together 100 paintings and icons from Istanbul, has been extended until July 4. Visitors to the Topkapı Palace Museum will have the chance to see

İstanbul’s historic Sahaflar Book Market struggles to keep its spirit
Today’s Zaman
The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality confiscated the unburned part of the Sahaflar Book Market in order to keep its historic value alive with a restoration of the structure. The wooden shops were replaced by reinforced concrete stores

Poliparks expected to ease parking problems in İstanbul
Today’s Zaman
Parking and traffic problems in the megacity of İstanbul cause nightmares for drivers in, especially in busy districts such as Beyazıt Mercan and Söğütlüçeşme around the Kadıköy Marriage Office. In some of the city’s districts it is even hard to find

In Istanbul, Greek History on Display
New York Times (blog)
By SUSANNE FOWLER In a rare display of cross-cultural cooperation between countries with a history of enmity, a new exhibition in Istanbul features antiquities from Greece, including marble figurines, clay tankards, weapons, cooking utensils,

Istanbul ranked 4th in Europe by MasterCard
Istanbul was named as one of the world’s top performing tourist destinations in 2011, based on MasterCard’s new Worldwide Index of Global Destination Cities.