Taipei, Feb. 2 (CNA) Taiwanese and Turkish passport holders will soon be able to obtain free e-visas to each other's country, which is expected to spur an increase in the annual number of Taiwanese visitors to Turkey, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.
The reciprocal measure will take effect Feb. 10 and the number of Taiwanese travelers to Turkey this year is expected to rise to 80,000, the ministry said.
Currently, it costs US$24 for Taiwanese passport holders to obtain a tourism e-visa to Turkey, while Turkish passport holders pay NT$1,600 (US$47.78) for an e-visa to Taiwan, the foreign ministry said.
It said the removal of the e-visa application fees will not only reduce travel costs, but also help promote trade, tourism, cultural and academic exchanges between the two countries.
The decision on free e-visas followed the launch of direct flights between the two countries last March, with the Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier of Turkey, operating the service.
In July, the airline is scheduled to increase its weekly direct flights on the route from seven to 10, while EVA Airways (長榮航空), one of Taiwan's leading international carriers, is expected to launch direct flights between the two countries in March.
Turkey has become a popular transit point for Taiwanese tourists en route to Europe or Africa, the ministry said.
It has forecast an increase in the annual number of Taiwanese visitors to Turkey from about 50,000 in 2015 to 80,000 in 2016.
(By Elaine Hou)
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