Turkey's tourism industry has returned with a record-breaking summer, significantly increasing foreign arrivals, particularly in Mediterranean resorts and Istanbul. The industry is hopeful that this trend will continue for an extended period into the autumn season. Mehmet Eşler, vice president of the Turkish Hoteliers Association, has confirmed that the tourism sector met its expectations in August, and they anticipate further growth in the coming months.
The Turkish government expects the number of foreign arrivals to Turkey to reach 60 million this year and 90 million in 2028.
Official data last week showed that the influx in July saw foreign arrivals to Istanbul reach the highest monthly level in a decade, with 1.87 million tourists visiting.
Tourism authorities in Turkey developed Latin American markets to diversify tourism, but Germany and Russia remained the primary sources of tourism as usual. Russia saw a significant increase in numbers in July and August compared to the previous year, and Germany remains the primary market for Turkey, as always.
The Vice-President of the Turkish Hoteliers Association has expressed optimism about attracting 3.5 million tourists from the U.K. by the end of this year. He noted that Turkey hosted 2.5 million U.K. tourists in 2019, the highest recorded figure.
Experts point to signs of an extended tourist season, with bookings increasing in September and October. So far, booking flows have increased by 15% compared to September and October last year.
Tourists from France and China are arriving. Chinese visitors can now travel to Turkey. Last month, Beijing lifted the COVID-19 ban on group foreign trips to several countries, including Turkey, the United States, and Japan.