Türkiye on track to break tourism record this summer
ISTANBUL
There have been indications that Türkiye is on track to welcome a record number of visitors from other countries this summer.
The country aims for 65 million visitors and $64 billion in tourism revenues in 2025. Last year, Türkiye hosted more than 62 million visitors and generated $61.1 billion in tourism revenues.
Representatives of the local tourism industry pointed out the strong demand for summer holiday bookings for Türkiye at the world’s leading tourism fairs, including London, Berlin and Moscow, saying that they expect a significant rise in the number of tourists visiting Türkiye, especially from Europe as well as distant countries in Asia and the Americas.
After attending the ITB Berlin Fair, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy stated that there were “signs of new records in tourism.”
Ersoy recalled that last year, 6.7 million visitors visited Türkiye from Russia, 6.6 million from Germany and 4.4 million from the U.K.
“Türkiye has become the country with the highest number of early reservations in Germany. We aim to welcome over 7 million visitors from both Russia and Germany this year. Additionally, we expect 4.8 million visitors from the U.K. in 2025,” the minister said.
While Germans made 77.5 million international trips last year, only 6.6 million visited Türkiye, said Firuz Bağlıkaya, president of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), noting that there is still significant potential for growth in this market.
Reservation data for the summer season shows continuing strong demand from German families for vacations in Türkiye, said Bağlıkaya. He predicts a rise in foreign tourist visits to coastal destinations, especially Antalya, this year.
Müberra Eresin, president of the Turkish Hoteliers Association (TÜROB), stressed that the goal is to exceed the 2024 figures while increasing the average room prices.
She also noted there was strong interest in Türkiye at the tourism fairs they attended in Cannes, Barcelona, London, Madrid and Moscow.
The Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine wars have posed significant risks to the global tourism industry, she said.
“The end to these conflicts would have a positive impact on tourism activity. A recovery in Middle Eastern markets is expected,” Eresin added.
“Türkiye remains one of the most in-demand destinations in the German market. The upward trend in the Russian market is also expected to continue. Additionally, more visits are expected from the U.K., Poland, Spain and Italy in 2025,” she said.
