Sunday, August 25, 2024 Turkiye’s tourism sector has experienced a significant boom in 2024, drawing a record 28.9 million visitors in the first seven months of the year, representing an 8.27% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
This surge is largely attributed to Russia, which topped the list of source countries by contributing 3.6 million tourists. In a detailed breakdown, July emerged as a standout month with 7.
33 million international tourists visiting Türkiye, marking a 2.6% increase from the previous year. Germany led the influx with three million visitors, followed by Russia and the United Kingdom, adding 922,294 and 660,906 tourists respectively.
The month also saw 294,428 day-trippers, accounting for 4.01% of the total arrivals. Despite a 30.
6% decline in visitors from Western Asia, other regions showed robust growth. South Asia’s tourist numbers rose by 17.61%, and South America’s by 24.
43%, with significant increases from Argentina (46.35%), Brazil (29.91%), and Venezuela (13.
67%). Europe and North America also saw increases in tourist arrivals, with Europe posting a 6.48% rise and the U.
S. a 12.54% increase.
Tourist traffic from Oceania and CIS countries also grew, though more modestly. Throughout the year, Russia remained the top source of tourists, followed by Germany and the UK. Istanbul continues to be a magnet for international visitors, drawing 8.
5 million tourists in the first half of the year, an 8% increase from the previous period. The city welcomed 1.64 million foreign visitors in June alone, highlighting its ongoing appeal as a global tourism hub.
Air travel was the dominant mode of entry, with Istanbul Airport handling the majority of arrivals. The airport processed 1.16 million of the 1.
58 million tourists who arrived by air in June, representing 73.39% of the month’s air travelers. Istanbul and Antalya were the primary gateways for international tourists in July, with the latter receiving 2.
6 million visitors. Other significant entry points included Edirne, Muğla, and Izmir. Despite setbacks such as the European Football Championship and the collapse of tour operator FTI affecting tourist expectations from Europe, particularly Germany, Antalya’s tourism industry showed resilience with a 13% increase in the number of tourists in the first seven months.
The city is projected to welcome 2.85 million visitors by the end of August and aims to exceed 11 million by the end of the month, with a target of 17 million by year’s end. However, the year also saw a decline in tourists from Gulf countries, with notable drops from the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, several Asian countries, including China, Indonesia, Singapore, Bangladesh, and India, reported significant increases in tourist numbers, reflecting a diverse and evolving tourism landscape in Türkiye..
