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Turkey has benefited from an influx of arrivals to its coastal regions as nearby Eurozone countries grow more expensive. But operators are concerned the image of Turkey as a cheaper alternative to Spain and Greece is doing nothing to enhance its reputation.

Jewel in the Crown managing director Platon Loizou said: "There’s no disputing that value for money has encouraged more visitors to Turkey, but the country has a lot more to offer than a mass-market beach destination."

The tourist office hopes to promote the country’s history, culture, gastronomy and city-break appeal this year, with particular emphasis on Istanbul as a city-break destination. "Value for money isn’t the only reason people go to Turkey anymore," said a Turkish Tourist Office spokeswoman.

"We are trying to go one step further and create the intrigue before the first visit," she said. "We want people to think of Turkey as their first choice, with hospitality being more important than prices."

This year’s marketing campaign will focus heavily on the diversity of Turkey with a similar message to that of 2004 and a much larger – but still undisclosed – budget.

A continuation of the 2004 strapline ‘Turkey welcomes you’ will be applied to alert holidaymakers to the country’s friendly atmosphere, and advertising media will include television, billboards, taxis, the London Underground and railway lines.

But Anatolian Sky Holidays managing director Akin Koc expressed concern the tourist office is trying to increase visitor numbers at the expense of product quality.

"My clients do not wish to share their holiday with visitors who come to drink cheap beer and leave rubbish in their wake. The sooner we stop appealing to this type of holidaymaker, the better," he said.

And with Turkey gearing up to join the European Union, value for money may not be an attribute it can claim for long.

"Capacity is also near saturation point in the beach areas," added Platon.

"We want to see more traffic in central and eastern Turkey and it is important agents highlight how much there is to see and do there too."

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