Tourism revenues may exceed $35 billion target this year: Minister

ANKARA

Turkey’s tourism revenues may exceed the $35 billion target set for this year, Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati has said.

Hotel occupancy rate is around 68 percent in April and is likely to increase to 92 percent in May, Nebati told reporters following a cabinet meeting in Ankara on April 25.

“We have strong expectations. I believe that the revenue target of $35 billion and foreign tourist visit target of 45 million will exceed,” the minister said.

Nebati also said that Russian tourists, who cannot use VISA and Mastercard abroad, will be able to use Russia’s own Mir cards in Turkey and won’t face problems with payments.

Around 15 establishments in Turkey accepted Mir cards, but banks are expanding the network, the minister added.

Turkey’s tourism revenues soared 103 percent to $24.5 billion, while foreign tourist arrivals increased by a strong 94 percent to 24.7 million people last year.

Nearly 4.7 million Russians visited Turkey last year, accounting for 19 percent of all foreign tourist visits. In the first two months of 2022, Turkey welcomed 246,000 Russian holidaymakers, up from 176,000 people in the same period of 2021.

Around 2.1 million Ukrainian nationals vacationed in Turkey last year, which made up 8 percent of all foreign tourist arrivals. This year, a little over 79,000 people from Ukraine came to the country in January-February versus 58,000 a year ago.