ISTANBUL, May 21 (Xinhua) -- As one of the major tourist destinations in the Middle East, Turkey is eager to welcome international tourists back.

The Turkish government has set a target of 42 million tourists and 35 billion U.S. dollars in tourism income for 2022. Turkey had a record number of tourists in 2019, but its tourism revenue regressed in 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.