Khaberni - The Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, confirmed that Turkish series have become one of the strongest tools of soft power for the country, noting that Turkish drama today is broadcast in about 170 countries around the world and is watched by nearly a billion people regularly.
He added at a press conference in Istanbul that Turkey has led the world in terms of the number of episodes of series produced annually, and is ranked among the top three TV industries on a global level in terms of sales and exports, alongside the United States and Britain.
The minister pointed out that the diversity of Turkish stories, which focus on social and emotional drama, along with the high artistic quality of the production, contributed to their widespread popularity in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, with increasing viewership in Northern Europe, Spain, France, and Italy.
Ersoy added that the export revenues of Turkish series have exceeded one billion dollars, emphasizing that these works not only serve entertainment but also contribute to transferring the Turkish language and culture to a wide global audience, saying: "Just as Hollywood films taught the world English, Turkish series today teach the Turkish language... It is the largest cycle for teaching Turkish in the world."
The minister clarified that Turkey has strategically placed series within its tourism promotion policy, asserting that the Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, founded six years ago, has become a digital front for the country on a global level, thanks to its dynamic structure and innovative digital activity.
He explained that Turkey is currently being promoted in about 200 countries through the "GoTürkiye" platform, which broadcasts in 10 languages and has more than 21.3 million followers on nine social media platforms, notably Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
Ersoy concluded his remarks by emphasizing that Turkish series are an important tool not only for tourism but also for enhancing Turkish culture and language globally, focusing on producing short series of high cinematic quality to attract a broader audience.
