TURKEY'S ALCOHOLIC DRINKS CONSUMPTION ON RISE

According to figures of Turkey's Regulatory Committee for Tobacco, Tobacco Products and Alcoholic Beverages Market (TAPDK), Turkish people drank 536.2 million liters of alcoholic beverages in the first six months of this year. 
It was 453 million liters in the first half of 2006, 465 million in the same period of 2007 and 531.7 million liters in the first half of 2008.
Turkish people preferred mostly beer, raki, wine and vodka. Beer consumption increased to 485.3 million liters, while wine consumption reached 20.9 million liters. However, consumption of Turkey's national drink raki was slightly down to 22.2 million liters.
Sales of alcoholic drinks were made mostly in major cities and summer holiday resorts of Turkey. Number of tourists visiting Turkey also showed drastic rise since 2006. Number of tourists was up 6.5 million in 2008 from 19.8 million in 2006.