"These fairs are aimed at businesses (primarily), luring tourists on an individual basis is done through ordinary means of marketing." Correct, so can you explain to me how Asians and Europeans are involved since more than 800 people from 28 nations are visiting Israel precisely for the purpose of marketing? Why did Turkey decide to go to Israel if you claim that Turkey has a significant amount of tourists visiting Turkey every year out of which only a small percentage are Israelis? So, would you mind tell me what is the logic of visiting Israel? Turkey can market itself directly in Asia or Europe. It seems you really have no clue because you are uncapable of answering this question. "Turkey isn't "begging" anyone. The article does not say that; this is pure conjecture on your part. That is only your nationalist mind playing tricks to you, so you feel better and satisfied." There is no conjecture on my part. If Turkey is not dependent on Israeli tourism the Turkish visit to Tel Aviv is meaningless. The only mind who is playing tricks is your own. I'm simply refering to simple facts - nationalism has nothing to do with it. If Turkey wants to market itself to Asia and Europe, why visit Israel? If Turkey seeks contingents, why visit Israel and why not visit Europe and Asia directly or market Turkey electronically? Did you know by the way that Turkey is in dire straits because of its high debt? I can promise, it is not my "nationalistic mind" that plays me tricks - it simply a fact. "This kind of fairs are not primarily aimed at marketing oneself to individual tourists, but to make business with tour-operators and the like from all over the world." You are still not answering the fundamental question: why then did Turkey choose to go to Israel for that purpose? Turkey doesn't need to visit Israel for that purpose since Turkey's tourism industry is not dependent on Israel - something you agreed yourself. Metin - are you Turkish...? You have so far not proven anything in your first comment nr 26 nor in your second and last comment nr 28. There are no facts and no proof. The reason why you are leaving this article is because you cannot possibly back up your comments with facts - but sure attack me and my "nationalistic mind" - if that's makes your confused and reality detached mind feel better.

Hundreds of international businesses will be present at the fair, why should Turkey miss out on this oppurtunity to market itself to European and Asian businesses that will be present? Just because the event is taking place in Israel? Just because Turkey does not depend on this particular event, why should Turkey miss it and potential additional deals to make in this event? You are not making any sense! Before you start to talk about turkish economy, here you are clearly blinded by your nationalism. Turkey's debt-to-GDP ratio is 45 % (half that of the US) and the budget deficit is 1.7 % (one-point-seven-percent). And GDP grew 8.2 % in 2011. You are clearly wrong, not only about the economic situation of Turkey, but also about the intentions of Turkey behind their participation in this fair. But, whatever floats your boat...

Turkey's GDP per capita is $12,300 dollars - figures from 2010 est. Source: CIA World Factbook. Israel's GDP per capita is $29,800 dollars - figures from 2010 est. Source: CIA World Factbook. GDP -composition by sector for Turkey: agriculture 9.6%, industry 26.7% and services 63.8%. GDP - composition by sector for Israel: agriculture 2.4%, industry 32.6% and services 65%. Israel's figures are typical for a first world country. Turkey's figures are typical for a developing country. Unemployment rate for Israel is 6.7% and 12% for Turkey. What do you think low and high unemployment does to the economy on a long term basis dear Mertin? Turkey's budget deficit stands at 9.5% and Israel's budget deficit stands at 3% but expected to decline to 2%. These figures are from 2011. When it comes to national debt, according to Erman Erbaykal at the Department of Economics and Administrative Sciences, he wrote in his conclusion in the article "Is Turkey's Foreign Deficit Sustainable? Cointegration Relationship between Exports and Imports" he clearly stated: ..."shows that the economy imports more than 1 dollars to get 1 dollars exports revenue." Turkey's national debt may be lower now than Israel's, but Israel is heading in the right direction - Turkey is heading in the wrong direction. National debt is about the correlation between exports and imports. Turkey imports more than it is capable of exporting. On a long term basis, you're heading for a disaster. On top of that: Turkish goods are not unique - textiles, tourism and cars can me manufactured all over the world. But computer hardware and software, satellites, medicine, military weapons, cell phones, irrigation and advanced science - which the Israeli high tech powerhouse is capable of producing - that's another story. It's not interesting that your national debt now is lower. We are talking about long term sustainability of a country's economy. Something you would know if you had studied economics and business.

In talkback nr 28 you stated: "These fairs are aimed at businesses (primarily), luring tourists on an individual basis is done through ordinary means of marketing." To fairs, both businesses and individuals come. Most of the visitors will be locals. Turkey doesn't have to attend an international fair in Israel. International fairs are held all over the world. Turkey can market itself to businesses locally in Asia and Europe or at the Internet. So you are saying seriously that the fair is being held in Israel but the visitors to the fair won't be Israelis - it has nothing to do with Israelis? The article is not about your personal ego or Turkey's "importance" or imagined "greatness" -Turkey is simply ONE of MANY countries taking part in the fair. The purpose of the Turkish presence at this fair is to lure Israelis back to Turkey. The Turks are not attending to lure Asians and Europeans but to lure Israelis. That's explicitly stated in the article. It seems your extreme Turkish nationalism blinds you - you can't even read or comprehend this newspaper article.

This international tourism fair is actually held annually at Tel Aviv's Exhibition Grounds. The fair is sponsored by the Tourism Ministry, Israel Hotel Association and El Al Airlines and serves as a unique opportunity to promote tourism in Israel. It's about Israel's relations to the world. It's all there in the article. Just read the article. Turkey is just one of many countries at the fair. There is nothing special about Turkey's presence. The fair is organized and financed by Israel, and it's taking place in Israel, so everything Alexander stated was 100% correct. The article also said THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN REGIONAL TOURISM FAIRS AND THE NUMBER AND QUALITY OF THE PARTICIPANTS CAN BE SEEN AS AN EXPRESSION OF TRUST IN ISRAEL TOURISM says Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov. "The Turkish participation proves that they are interested in bringing the Israeli tourist back," He adds. And this according to Eyal Shmueli, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Israel Travel News and one of the fair's initiators. So what is unclear to you? Financed by Israel, organized by Israel, located in Israel, to promote Israeli tourism and to promote Israeli relations with the world out of which Turkey is just one country. A country as hateful and as hostile as Turkey wouldn't bother to go to Israel unless it had commerical value. You are in a state of denial. Maybe extreme Turkish nationalism?

No, Alexander stated that Turkey is begging Israeli tourists to return, which I have seen no proof of, neither in the article nor elsewhere. And Alexander's comments on the tukish economy in general are actually only 0.1 % correct. All the article states is the opinion of the Israeli tourism minister and the author of the article on the reason Turkey joins the fair, no statements by turkish companies or officials. And it seems you don't understand the nature of these international fairs. Let's take Cebit in Hannover (Germany). Companies from all over the world attend to make deals with companies from all over the world, not only with German ones. It is the same with this tourism fair. Many international businesses will be attending, why miss this opportunity to make deals with them? And if one or two deals are made with Israelis along the way too, why not? How is that BEGGING?

Am I the only person who thinks that people are seperate from governments? So what if Israeli tourists continue to visit Turkey? or if Turks visit Israel? it would be a good thing. Anyway, Israeli tourists and Jewish businesses have increased in TRNC especially in the Karpaz region which makes me personally happy :-) So if Turks are sooooooooooo bad and soooooooooo hostile towards Jews and the Israelis like some of you on this article claim then why is all of this happening? why would you interact with people you "hate so much" or who "hate you"?

Stop your childish denial. Your Turkish pride blinds you. It is your opinion that Turkey seeks European and Asian business partners. The article does not mention even half a word about Turkish relations to Asians and Europeans. The article is not about Turkish relations with Asians and Europeans. The article is about an international tourist fair, as Eyal said, organized and financed by Israel, located in Israel, where the State of Israel and privately owned Israeli profit organizations have a commercial interest. Since the fair is located in Israel it means that the international fair cannot escape the fact that Israel has a particular interest in this fair. This fair is not about Turkey - Turkey is merely one of the participants. You make it sound as if the fair is ABOUT Turkish interests and releations with Asians and Europeans. It's not. That's not what the fair is about. Instead of arguing like a child I suggest you actually contact the authorities of the State of Israel and private organizations in Israel and ASK THEM what exactly will the fair be about. You cannot possibly know that better than Israel. And that's the arrogance with you that I simply can't stand. And it is your personal opionion that Turkey is not begging Israel. Notwithstanding the statistics for tourists visiting Turkey on an annual basis (which I couldn't care less about) it is still a fact that the fair is about businesses and private individuals and locals visting it. You can deny all you want to - but to fairs you have private visitors as well - a lot of them. And the locals of Israel are not Asians/Europeans but Israelis. Talkback nr 26 is your personal guesswork - that's no facts. Do you want to know the nature of the fair? Ask Israel. Statistics regarding the Turkish economy are available at CIA Factbook. Get off your high horses. Your Turkish pride makes you blind to facts.

..flotilla. Apologize for Ottoman imperialism of the 19th and 20th century and Ottoman conquest of the Jewish homeland for centuries. If you deny it - we have nothing to talk about. Apologize for trying to steal our natural gas in Leviathan - it's closer to Israel and very very far away from Turkey. Stop electing this perverted anti-Semite Erdogan, stop protesting in favour of the "Palestinians" and stop siding with Hamas, stop pretending there is a "Palestinian" people, stop pretending that Arabs/Moslems have any connection to Israel and the land of Israel - they don't, stop pretending that Arabs/Moslems are natives of Israel - they are not, stop pretending that having 22 Jew hating Arab states, one Jew hating Turkish state and one Jew hating Iranian state facing Israel is "ok" and that stabbing the Jewish people and Israel in the back while trying to lure them back to anti-Semitic Turkey is "ok" - it's not ok and never will be. The answer to your question is very simple: you hate us Jews but want our money. Fair enough? And until there is a radical change for the better in Turkey, we Israelis won't change our minds. Period. Stop begging us. That's what I mean by "begging". You don't ask freely your enemies to come and visit you unless you have a substantial commercial interest in it - thereby we know that you are BEGGING US.

..and never was and never will be. I think you should ask the organizers behind the fair what the fair is about. Turkey, as has been states many times by other talkbackers, is merely one of many international participants. But the State of Israel finances this fair not out of charity but out of profit. As has been stated many many times before by other talkbackers, the article quotes Israel's TOURISM MINISTER. He said it's about trust in Israeli tourism. It does not mean that the international participants will not exchange contacts with each other - I've never seen either Alexander or Eyal claiming otherwise, but, they claim justly, that Israel finances it and therefore it is primarily an Israeli interest which encompasses many international players - one of them being Turkey. But make no mistake about. Israel arranges it for its own sake - it's first and foremost about Israeli profit interests. But I agree with Alexander - Turkey is not exactly friendly to us Jews and Turks coming out of their free will to Israel while Erdogan met with Hamas, does make the Turks look a bit desperate - again, not to insult your honour. I will never visit Turkey. And you know why.

just one question: how much does the fact hurt you that you took orders from Moslems/Turks for centuries?

Here is the link to the fair. Here you go. http://www.imtm-telaviv.com/ And when you click on the link you'll see what the fair is ACTUALLY ABOUT - after all I think it is the organizer behind the fair that should know - don't you think? And unlike the nonsense you wrote in your previous talkback, this fair IS ABOUT PRIVATE ISRAELI TOURISTS - AMONG OTHER THINGS. So where you got your nonsense about Turks seeking Asian and European business partners is beyond me. Just read it - if you are capable of reading and capable of saying the words "I was wrong" - but I guess it's too much to ask from a fanatical extreme Turkish nationalist glorifying Turkey until the bitter end. The fair is about international visitors presenting themelves to Israeli tourists. Among them - Turks. And Israel, on its part, hopes to bring as many international tourists as possible so that they can get to know Israel first hand - that's why these countries are invited. YES, the Turks ARE TRYING to lure Israeli tourists back. It is EXPLICITLY STATED that Israeli tourists will get the opportunity to find out more about foreign tourist destinations. So it's not about Turkish relations with Asians and Europeans - it's about Turkish, Asian and European relations with Israel. And it's all there - just READ.

more than 30 millions this year mean oh yeah