Türkiye targets over 7 million Russian tourists in 2025
MOSCOW
Türkiye aims to host over 7 million Russian tourists this year, supported by the positive trajectory of political and economic relations between the two countries, Turkish sector representatives have said.
Hasan Eker, vice chairman of the Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TURSAB), told state-run Anadolu Agency that expectations for the Russian market are high this year, as the Russian ruble has strengthened against other currencies.
Speaking at the Moscow International Travel and Tourism Expo 2025 (MITT), Eker noted that more Russian tourists are expected to choose Türkiye due to the country's competitive prices and high-quality tourism services.
“Türkiye and Russia have good relations, both in terms of governments and travel agencies,” he said.
“We interpret this as an indication that Russia will send much more tourists to Türkiye than last year when 6.5 million Russians visited Türkiye.”
“The Russian market has always been one of Türkiye’s top three — we think that between 7 and 7.5 million Russian tourists will come this year, marking an increase of at least 10 percent,” he added.
Eker highlighted that strained relations between Russia and Europe due to the war in Ukraine have led more Russian tourists to opt for Türkiye and other destinations in Asia.
He said the Turkish tourism sector is attracting visitors who might have otherwise chosen Italy, Spain, or Greece, noting that Türkiye offers comparable services.
Elif Ural, a board member at TURSAB, said Russian tourists primarily visit the Mediterranean and Aegean regions but are now increasingly familiar with Istanbul.
“Russians like to travel a lot, which is why they opt to receive healthcare services in other countries despite having a developed one at home,” she said. “China and South Korea have come to the fore as destinations Russian tourists prefer for health tourism in the last decade.”
She noted that Türkiye has begun actively promoting its health tourism sector in Russia to attract more visitors.
