Turkish Airlines invited a group of Indonesian journalists, including The Jakarta Post’s Kornelius Purba to Istanbul last week. The following is his report on the visit.

“It is indeed a big figure,” M. Ziya Ozturk, Turkish Airlines marketing and sales vice president for Asia and the Far East, said with a big smile when he was informed of the number of Indonesians who perform the umrah (minor haj) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia every year.

Religious Affairs Ministry data said that 6.3 million departed for umrah last year, with pilgrim numbers continuing to rise along with the country’s economic development.

Many Indonesians have also opted to perform umrah as they often have to wait years to be able to perform the haj pilgrimage with Saudi Arabia only permitting around 200,000 pilgrims per year.

Umrah can be conducted the whole year except during the annual haj pilgrimage period. The rising number of umrah pilgrims means lucrative business for airlines. Many Indonesians are also combining their pilgrimage with recreational activities, including visits to tourist destinations.

International and domestic airlines are competing to lure passengers through travel agencies, which are offering tour packages that include stops in Dubai, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, as there are several airlines that offer direct flights from Jakarta to those destinations in addition to Saudi Arabia.

Visiting Turkey before or after going to Saudi Arabia is also another attractive choice.

Starting next month, the airline will offer daily direct flights from Jakarta to Istanbul. Until now passengers have had to transit at Changi Airport in Singapore.

Located in Asia and Europe, Turkey is rich in cultural and religious heritages of interest to Muslims and Christians alike. Obtaining a visa for Turkey is also relatively easy because there is an online service or visa on arrival, which is priced at US$25. Turkish airlines also offers free city sightseeing to its transit passengers.

For Christian pilgrims, Turkey is a historic country to visit before moving on to Jerusalem as Turkish airlines also flies to Tel Aviv.

The country is home to several biblical sites, including the footsteps of Apostle Paul, and the House of Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus in Ephesus, where she is said to have lived with St. John, her son’s disciple.

It was a chilly morning in Istanbul on arrival although it was the middle of spring. The immigration officer who checked my passport asked me, “How many days will you be staying in Turkey?” It was a natural question as many people have allegedly tried to join the Islamic State (IS) movement by entering Syria through Turkey. Indonesian immigration at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport asked me the same question.

Tulips, an icon of the city, were in full bloom. Turkish people we met during the trip insisted that tulips originated from their country and not the Netherlands. Tulips are often associated with the Dutch, who imported them from Istanbul three centuries ago, or during the Ottoman period. However, there are also some people who acknowledged that the flower actually originated from Iran.

The most impressive historic spot in Istanbul was the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) Museum. It was built during the Roman Empire and was where Roman rulers were crowned. It was the world’s largest cathedral for centuries until 1453, when Sultan Mehmed conquered the city and converted it into a mosque.

Slice of history:  A painting of Mary and baby Jesus is situated between two signs written in Arabic calligraphy at the Hagia Sophia Museum (JP/Kornelius Purba)

Turkey’s first president and founder of the republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, officiated the building as a museum in 1935.

On the ceiling, there is a painting depicting Mother Mary with her baby Jesus. Next to it is Islamic calligraphy. The holy Koran recognizes Virgin Mary as the mother of Jesus and her son as a prophet. The museum is one of the most frequently visited places in Turkey. A group of Muslim women were praying there during our visit.

Other places of interest include the Blue Mosque, which was built by Sultan Ahmed I in the early 17th century (1609-1616). Public transportation facilities in Istanbul, including trams, make getting around easy.

AFP/Ozan Kose

Turkish Airlines invited a group of Indonesian journalists, including The Jakarta Post'€™s Kornelius Purba to Istanbul last week. The following is his report on the visit.

'€œIt is indeed a big figure,'€ M. Ziya Ozturk, Turkish Airlines marketing and sales vice president for Asia and the Far East, said with a big smile when he was informed of the number of Indonesians who perform the umrah (minor haj) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia every year.

Religious Affairs Ministry data said that 6.3 million departed for umrah last year, with pilgrim numbers continuing to rise along with the country'€™s economic development.

Many Indonesians have also opted to perform umrah as they often have to wait years to be able to perform the haj pilgrimage with Saudi Arabia only permitting around 200,000 pilgrims per year.

Umrah can be conducted the whole year except during the annual haj pilgrimage period. The rising number of umrah pilgrims means lucrative business for airlines. Many Indonesians are also combining their pilgrimage with recreational activities, including visits to tourist destinations.

International and domestic airlines are competing to lure passengers through travel agencies, which are offering tour packages that include stops in Dubai, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, as there are several airlines that offer direct flights from Jakarta to those destinations in addition to Saudi Arabia.

Visiting Turkey before or after going to Saudi Arabia is also another attractive choice.

Starting next month, the airline will offer daily direct flights from Jakarta to Istanbul. Until now passengers have had to transit at Changi Airport in Singapore.

Located in Asia and Europe, Turkey is rich in cultural and religious heritages of interest to Muslims and Christians alike. Obtaining a visa for Turkey is also relatively easy because there is an online service or visa on arrival, which is priced at US$25. Turkish airlines also offers free city sightseeing to its transit passengers.

For Christian pilgrims, Turkey is a historic country to visit before moving on to Jerusalem as Turkish airlines also flies to Tel Aviv.

The country is home to several biblical sites, including the footsteps of Apostle Paul, and the House of Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus in Ephesus, where she is said to have lived with St. John, her son'€™s disciple.

It was a chilly morning in Istanbul on arrival although it was the middle of spring. The immigration officer who checked my passport asked me, '€œHow many days will you be staying in Turkey?'€ It was a natural question as many people have allegedly tried to join the Islamic State (IS) movement by entering Syria through Turkey. Indonesian immigration at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport asked me the same question.

Tulips, an icon of the city, were in full bloom. Turkish people we met during the trip insisted that tulips originated from their country and not the Netherlands. Tulips are often associated with the Dutch, who imported them from Istanbul three centuries ago, or during the Ottoman period. However, there are also some people who acknowledged that the flower actually originated from Iran.

The most impressive historic spot in Istanbul was the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) Museum. It was built during the Roman Empire and was where Roman rulers were crowned. It was the world'€™s largest cathedral for centuries until 1453, when Sultan Mehmed conquered the city and converted it into a mosque.