Thousands of Turks visit Thessaloniki on Ataturk anniversary

Thousands of Turkish citizens have descended on Thessaloniki to mark the anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, who died on 10 November 1938.

From the early hours, tourists queued up outside the house where Ataturk was born around 1881 which is now museum.

Many held Turkish flags.

“We wanted to celebrate this day and we wanted to show our respect too … We love  Ataturk. What we have is because of him,” one Turkish visitor told state broadcaster ERT.

While the Ataturk Museum is always popular with visitors from the neighboring country, numbers were up this year as the Republic of Turkey celebrates the centenary of its establishment.

More than 200 tourist buses and hundreds of cars were expected to visit the city. Business was brisk at local shops.

Hotels and other accommodation reported high occupancy rates, not only in and around Thessaloniki but also in Alexandroupoli. [ERT]