Tourism revenue increases in 3Q as foreign arrivals rise

ANKARA

Turkey’s tourism revenue reached $11.5 billion in the July-September period, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) announced on Oct. 31, as the number of foreign arrivals continued to increase.

The country’s tourism revenue rose by 1 percent in the third quarter of 2018, up from $11.4 billion in the same quarter in 2017, TÜİK said in a statement.

Nearly 82 percent of the income (excluding GSM roaming and marina service expenditures) was earned from foreign visitors, while 18.2 percent was received from citizens residing abroad.

Turkey welcomed 18.8 million visitors between July and September, marking a rise of 12.7 percent from the same period last year — 84.7 percent of them were foreign citizens and 15.3 percent Turkish citizens residing abroad.

The average expenditure per capita was $612 in the third quarter of 2018.

“In this quarter while average expenditure of the foreigners was $589 per capita, the average expenditure of the Turkish citizen residents abroad was $724 per capita,” it said.

37 mln visitors in first nine months

Nearly 37 million people visited Turkey in the first nine months of the year, with a 21.4 percent yearly increase, data from the Tourism Ministry showed on Oct. 31.

Nearly 32 million foreign tourists visited the country with a 22 percent increase during the same period.

The number of foreign arrivals rose 15.6 percent on a yearly basis in September, hitting 5.4 million, according to the ministry data.

In the January-September period, Russia was the largest source of foreign arrivals in Turkey with 5.12 million visitors. The country took a 16.1 percent share in foreign arrivals in Turkey in the mentioned period.

Germany followed Russia with 3.57 million arrivals and 11.2 percent share in total.

The United Kingdom ranked third with 1.89 million arrivals and 5.95 percent share in total.

Bulgaria and Iran followed these countries, according to the ministry data.

The number of foreign arrivals in Turkey plummeted in 2016 to 25.4 million amid a diplomatic crisis with Russia, an escalation in security concerns and a failed coup attempt in Turkey.

Hotel room prices begin to rise in Istanbul

A separate data showed on Oct. 31 that hotel occupancy rates across Turkey rose 0.8 percent in September on year-on-year basis to 70.8 percent.

According to data from the Hotels Association of Turkey (TÜROB) on STR Global figures, hotel occupancy rates in the first nine months of the year hit 66.8 percent with an 11.7 percent year-on-year increase.

While the average daily rate (ADR), which shows the average room fares on daily basis, decreased by 0.2 percent on yearly basis to 76.2 euros in September, the rate rose to 72.1 euros in the first nine months of the year with a 5.1 percent yearly basis, according to TÜROB statement.

The TÜROB data also showed that hotel occupancy rates in Istanbul saw a 2.2 percent yearly decline in September and became 75.9 percent. In the first nine months of the year, the rate showed a significant increase and hit 71.4 percent from a previous 62.1 percent.

The ADR in Istanbul’s hotels also rose to 91.3 euros in September with a 6.5 percent yearly increase. In the January-September period, the ADR rose to 82.6 euros, while it was 76 euros in the same period of 2017.