Over 3.6 million tourists visited Türkiye’s famed, fairy-tale-like destination Cappadocia in the first 10 months of this year.

Cappadocia, a UNESCO world heritage site located in the central province of Nevşehir, became a popular destination worldwide in recent years thanks to its distinctive volcanic cones known as fairy chimneys, atmospheric underground cities, hot-air balloon trips, houses carved into the rocks, and churches, chapels and shelters used in the early years of the Christian faith.

Cappadocia’s museums and archaeological sites were visited by nearly 3.63 million people so far this year, said the Nevşehir Culture and Tourism Directorate.

Furthermore, nearly 600,000 tourists, a record number, took hot-air balloon trips, which allowed them to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Cappadocia from the air.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Ismail Sucu, a senior executive of the local tourism authority, said he is confident that even more tourists will be coming to Cappadocia in the coming years.

“By end of the year we expect the number of tourists to exceed 4 million,” he said.

Business owners argued that Chinese visitors will be decisive in breaking new records for the number of tourists.