Foreign tourist arrivals in Antalya tops 4 million

ANTALYA

More than 4 million foreign tourists arrived in Antalya by air between Jan. 1 and June 10, pointing to a 37 percent increase from the same period of 2022.

The number of foreign holidaymakers visiting the province on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast since the start of the year was more than the arrivals recorded in the same periods of 2021 and 2022 combined, according to the data provided by the provincial directorate of culture and tourism.

In 2019, when Türkiye and Antalya saw record numbers of foreign tourist visits, the province welcomed 4 million international travelers.

Antalya is popular particularly with Russian, German, and British tourists. The city was also a favorite holiday destination for Ukrainians before the war.

On June 10, Antalya Airport served a daily record number of 1,070 airplanes, including 116 domestic and 954 international flights, according to the general directorate of state airports authority (DHMİ).

More than 182,000 travelers went through the airport on that day.

Meanwhile, in the first five months of 2023, eight cruise ships docked at the port in Antalya, bringing nearly 15,000 passengers on board, the data from the Transport Ministry showed earlier this week.

The Kaş district of Antalya also received one cruise liner with 524 passengers, said the ministry.

From January to May, Türkiye’s ports welcomed a total of 279 cruise ships with nearly 300,000 holidaymakers.

The Kuşadası district of the province of Aydın, was the busiest with 124 luxury liners during this period, followed by Istanbul at 50 and the Çeşme district of the province of İzmir on the Aegean coast at 20 cruise ships.