A country of incredible geographic diversity, modern infrastructure for the tourism industry, a rich cultural and historical heritage, competitively priced accommodations and top class facilities for travelers. “Turkey”-just the name itself conjures up visions of oriental splendor, mystery and intrigue. This was the meeting point of the world’s three great civilizations, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman, former center of Christendom, the crossroads of Asia and Europe. This land of seas, mountain ranges, high plateaus and fertile river valleys is the dividing line between the Orient and the Occident. It was also the nucleus of the 1,000-year Byzantine Empire with its capital established at Constantinople. It was here too, that early Christianity first took root, to be replaced with the advent of Islam, first under the Arabs, then under the Seljuk Turks and the Ottoman Turks.