Türkiye's Aegean coast, most notably Muğla province, continues to serve as a prime destination for British holidaymakers, according to an official on Saturday.

Recognized for its breathtaking nature and ancient cities, Muğla, along with Mediterranean resort towns Antalya and Alanya, as well as Istanbul is one of the top spots welcoming many foreign and domestic tourists each year.

This year, the province has hosted some 1.25 million tourists in the first six months of the year, according to the data compiled by Anadolu Agency (AA).

Among the tourists who prefer the region, which includes famous destinations such as Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye, the British holidaymakers are once again showing to be in the lead.

Muğla Governor Idris Akbıyık in his assessment to AA noted that Muğla, "a paradise on earth," stands out as a tourism heaven for both Türkiye and the world, attracting tourists from many countries.

Akbıyık stated that the guests are hosted in the best way possible, adding: "The number of tourists arriving in the city between Jan. 1 and June 30 reached 1,251,796. Of this number, 594,991 were British. The U.K. is one of the main markets for Muğla and Türkiye."

Furthermore, he said, following the tourists from the U.K., the most arrivals were registered from Russia with 116,623 people and Poland with 101,938. Germany followed with 80,923, the Netherlands with 30,134, and other countries with 327,187 tourists arriving.

"There is a 12% increase compared to the same period last year," said Akbıyık.

He also expressed that they expect the increase in the number of foreign tourists to continue in the coming months.

Some of the coastal towns in the area such as Bodrum and Çeşme in Izmir province have been under heightened attention in the recent period over the reports that soaring prices have impacted the number of domestic tourists opting for holidays there.

Some Turkish vacationers decided for international destinations instead with many also availing of a special visa facilitation scheme for 10 Greek islands that entered into force earlier this year.

However, emphasizing that Muğla, one of Türkiye's prime tourism centers, hosted about 3 million tourists last year, Akbıyık noted that in addition to foreign tourists, domestic tourists also form a significant crowd, with approximately seven to 10 million domestic tourists visiting the city each year.

In addition, he highlighted that the U.K. being traditionally one of the largest markets every year, preserved this title this year as well.

Pointing out to the beauties of the region, he said Muğla stands out with sea, sand, and sun, as well as its historical and natural beauties, ancient cities and luxurious accommodation facilities.

Suat Esin, chairperson of the Marmaris Regional Representative Board of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), similarly noted that the main market of Marmaris is the U.K. and that this market continues to grow every year.

Esin noted that there was a surge in the number of British tourists coming to the region last year and that this increase continues this year.

"Our first flights from the U.K. started in the first week of March. Our first tourists arrived, and the numbers have been increasing since then. There is an increase in the British and Polish markets. There was a 12% increase compared to last year," he said.

Yet, although there is a numerical increase, the recent price increases have adversely impacted tourism according to Esin, who urged to address this issue.

"There is a numerical increase, but it is not reflected in expenditures. The increase in prices will negatively affect tourism. General and local administrations must urgently find a solution to the price increases, or we could face very big problems in the coming years," noted Ersin.

He concluded by saying they expected that British tourists' arrivals to the region would continue in the upcoming months.