STORY: Turkish Airlines contributes 56 bln USD to economy in 2023: Erdogan
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 18, 2024
DATELINE: Jan. 19, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:13
LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Istanbul airport
2. various of planes of Turkish Airlines (THY)
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President

STORYLINE:

Türkiye's flag carrier, Turkish Airlines (THY), is the country's most valuable brand, contributing 56 billion U.S. dollars to the national economy in 2023, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President
"Turkish Airlines is not only Türkiye's most valuable brand but has also made a name for itself with its contributions to our country's economy."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President
"According to 2023 figures, Turkish Airlines has contributed 56 billion dollars to the Turkish economy and has strengthened its leadership in this field with service exports of around 16 billion dollars,"

The Turkish leader also noted that the company's success gives a boost to the tourism sector and is one of the most important driving forces in increasing the number of tourists traveling to Türkiye.

The number of foreign tourists to Türkiye surged to over 51 million in the first 11 months of 2023, according to the latest official data.

Ahmet Bolat, chairman of THY's board of directors and executive committee, said at the summit that THY flew to 345 points around the world last year, carrying 83.4 million travelers, and its target for 2024 is to reach 92.5 million passengers while increasing the destination number to 350.

Having 440 aircraft in its fleet, THY ranked third in the world according to available seat kilometers, according to Bolat.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Istanbul, Türkiye.
(XHTV)