Türkiye welcomed 26.39 million visitors in the first six months of 2025, generating $25.6 billion in tourism revenue despite global challenges, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced at a press conference in Istanbul.

The figures, presented alongside the launch of the “A Festival of Anatolia” initiative, reflect a resilient tourism sector amid geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, and climate concerns.

Ersoy reported a 1% year-on-year increase in visitor arrivals, citing disruptions such as the Israel-Iran conflict in June, the April 23 Istanbul earthquake, India-Pakistan clashes on April 24, and global wildfire risks as factors dampening travel confidence. Despite these challenges, Russia remained Türkiye’s top source market with 2.61 million visitors, followed by Germany (2.42 million) and the United Kingdom (1.75 million).

While the average length of stay dipped slightly to 10 nights from 10.1 nights in 2024, with second-quarter stays at 9.4 nights, tourist spending rose significantly. The average nightly spend reached $101, up 9% from last year. Foreign visitors spent $121 per night, a 10% increase, while Turkish citizens abroad averaged $61 per night, up 7%. The year-end projection for average stay is 10.3 nights, down from 10.7 nights in 2024.

Minister Ersoy expressed confidence in achieving Türkiye’s 2025 targets of $64 billion in tourism revenue and 65 million visitors, noting strong booking trends for September, October, and November. In 2024, Türkiye hosted over 62 million visitors, generating $61.1 billion and ranking fourth globally on the UN World Tourism Organization’s list of most-visited countries, surpassing Italy.

Ersoy emphasized, “We are moving step by step toward our annual goal,” underscoring Türkiye’s robust tourism outlook despite global uncertainties. (ILKHA)