After a slow start, bookings for Turkish flights and hotels from the UK have picked up for the 2006 summer season, according to the latest figures.

When the summer holiday booking season began at the start of the year, industry analysts predicted a disappointing year for Turkey - compared to the continued growth of the last five years.

In recent months, however, all the signs are showing a strong revival is underway.

A study by online travel agency Freedom Direct shows a marked rise in hotel and flight bookings for a number of Turkish resorts.

The most popular Turkish resort with British holidaymakers this summer is Bodrum, overtaking Marmaris for the first time.

Other popular resorts include Kusadasi, Antalya, Fethiye, Side, Icmeler, Olu Deniz, Altinkum and Gumbet.

In 2005, Turkey overtook Spain as the top country for UK holidaymakers, but in 2006 a drop in holiday bookings was expected, due to the World Cup taking place in Germany this June and early reports about bird flu.

The recent upturn is mainly attributed to the outstanding value of accommodation across the country, in resorts that cover the full spectrum of the tourist market.

As a large, varied country, Turkey has a strong appeal for British holidaymakers looking for a wide variety of holiday experiences.

Turkey enjoys reliably hot weather and a reputation for being less crowded than other countries.

The small towns on the Bodrum Peninsular, dominated by a medieval castle in the bay, are particularly favoured by holidaymakers looking for quiet, relaxing holidays.

In contrast, visitors wanting to experience the Turkish club scene, which is gaining attention as one of the most vibrant in Europe, should head to the town of Bodrum itself.

Olu Deniz, with its photogenic blue lagoon is the most popular resort for couples.

Marmaris and Gumbet are especially popular as family destinations and Altinkum has a broad appeal - favoured by holidaymakers of all ages.

The four main airports in Turkey (Borum, Antalya, Dalaman, Izmir) are well served by airports all around the UK - including Birmingham, Manchester, East Midlands and the London airports.

Turkey first became a popular country for foreign tourists in the 1980s when the new government transformed the tourist industry by privatising the airports and developing the coastal resorts.

By 2004, 16.4 million foreign holidaymakers chose Turkey for their summer holidays and the country now has a capacity of over 1 million hotel beds, according to Freedom Direct.

By 2009, the Turkish tourist industry is projected to generate $20bn, with the total number of visitors reaching 22.3 million, the firm added.