Source: CNTV    Published: 2015-10-5

Buoyed by years of economic growth, China`s tourism sector has undergone a huge transformation. And nowhere is more apparent than in countries along the trade routes advocated by China, such as Turkey.

CCTV`s Zou yue, who`s in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, an important starting port along the ancient Maritime Silk Road, told us about his Turkey visit and the changes people there have seen.

The location of Istanbul is strategic. You still see how trade has changed the world in the same way at a different time.

Like his father before him, Hasim Gureli starts his day by cataloguing his stock, talking with customers, the usual things, but also things that mean so much to him. Gureli said:"I like my business, this is our culture, all are hand-made"

The dealers in the market today do business in a variety of tongues, using different types of money. Together they make up the oldest, largest and busiest closed bazaar in the world.  3,600 stores occupy an area as big as 6 soccer fields, with some dating back to the Ottoman empire, a time which saw the golden era of the old silk road.

And the bazaar is always crowded with buyers from all over the world and sellers from Istanbul, a city once described by French novelist Gustave Flaubert as the capital of the world.

These dealers may not have heard about the term belt and road, but they definitely know how connectivity works, actually they are the living proof of how people and money get connected.

But of course like many places in the world, bargaining is what it`s all about for dealers in the bazaar. No matter who they are dealing with. The large bulk of Chinese manufactured goods are sold in the supermarkets nearby.

Like any market in the world, it`s easy enough to come across Chinese products. But it`s actually more complicated than that. For example this chess board is made in Turkey and the chess pieces are made in China. Hasim has also been reaching out to the Chinese market.

Hasim said:"I will visit your country and join exhibitions. I can meet people and do more business." They say Istanbul is where the west meets the east, but for Hasim, it`s all business and his business is going west and east. It`s very easy to see in the grand bazaar. I talked with some Chinese travellers who shared their experiences and expectations

Rising number of Chinese traveling to Turkey

This is the most popular show in China, and it`s about traveling abroad. In this episode, Chinese celebrities travel to Turkey. So what exactly draws Chinese to Asia Minor? Religion,  culture, the people and of course, the food.

Turkey is a new market for Chinese tourists and it`s growing fast. The number of Chinese tourists landing in Turkey has gone from thousands five years ago to tens of thousands today.

But travel to Turkey poses a certain number of challenges for Chinese tourists. There are few Chinese restaurants,  almost no language guides and recent political tensions and attacks aimed at Chinese also sparked worry.

But the tourism boom has shown no sign of slowing down. Chinese students studying Turkish predict it will keep going up.

Yao Lingwei, student of Beijing Foreign Studies University said:"With the `one belt, one road` initiative and a growing Chinese economy, I`m sure there will be more Chinese tourists choosing to visit Turkey, a beautiful land linking Asia and Europe."

Their teacher Guan Bo took us on an aerial adventure. Recent years have seen soaring number of Chinese tourists eager to discover new landscapes and experiences.

"There are a lot of Chinese who can speak English and I can tell them what to do," said Fatih Doganay, hot air balloon pilot.But discovering a different culture is always challenging.

Guan Bo, Turkish Teacher of Beijing Foreign Studies University said:"China is such a big country and the world`s second largest economy. But people in Turkey actually know very little about China, I am a little uncomfortable about this."

But thanks to him and his students, people in both countries are learning about the other culture. Their school is even considering setting up a Turkish cultural center in Beijing.

There are still many things Turkey needs to do to attract Chinese tourists, with better information and infrascture, for the Chinese tourism in Turkey is about to take off.