Istanbul is the only European destination in the Eastern part of the continent to rank among the top 10 most searched worldwide, according to recent search trends released by Bing. London is still the most searched European destination, holding on to its #1 spot for the second year in a row.
The complete top features, in this order, Hawaii, Bahamas, London, Istanbul, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Rome, Jamaica, Seychelles and Bali. Interesting, Bing erroneously ranks Istanbul as a top destination in the Middle East. Despite Turkey being a transcontinental country, Istanbul is geographically located in Europe, and not the Middle East.
Istanbul is one of the largest urban agglomerations in Europe, very popular with travelers from the Central, Southern and Eastern part of the continent, especially due to its historical landmarks, and unsurpassed, affordable hospitality.