German tourists lead Antalya’s tourism surge

ANTALYA

Antalya, a popular tourist hub, has witnessed a remarkable 20 percent surge in the influx of German visitors, surpassing the previously dominant Russian tourists in overall arrivals.

The upcoming German holiday of Pfingsten has added vibrancy to the city’s tourism market, which had already begun with a boost from the consecutive holidays of Nowruz, Easter and Eid al-Fitr this year.

While tourism authorities announced a 20 percent spike in the German market, the city boasted an unprecedented number of foreign tourists surpassing 2 million.

Kaan Kavaloğlu, representing a hoteliers association, foresees continued momentum through the upcoming festivities.

Kavaloğlu's observations highlight that German arrivals have now taken the lead, surpassing Russian tourists, who previously constituted the majority of foreign arrivals.

Culture and Tourism Ministry data affirmed the lead with over 500,000 arrivals from Germany, while Russia and England followed closely.

Bolstered by resurgent interest from British, Polish and Iranian tourists, the industry remained on an upward trajectory, with a projected 17 million visitors throughout the season, Kavaloğlu said, highlighting that key markets witnessed double-digit growth.

He also said that the nine-day-long Eid al-Fitr played an important role in terms of boosting domestic tourism.

“Since the holiday was nine days long, people had the chance to enjoy more vacation time and also divide their vacation,” he said.

“Domestic tourists know to book early. With the continuation of credit card installments, the reservation of the domestic market will increase even more.”

Cengiz Haydar Barut, head of another hoteliers association in the region, highlighted a 20-25 day surge catalyzed by the succession of holidays which signaled a promising season.

“If there is no extraordinary development, I think both Türkiye and Antalya will meet their targets,” Barut said, adding that he believes that the per capita spending will reach a better level compared to previous years.