Extended tourism season anticipated across Turkey

The tourism sector in Turkey is currently basking in the glow of a prosperous summer season, with an extension expected in the months to come. Foreign visitors have been flocking to the Mediterranean resorts, and Istanbul, in particular, has seen a surge in popularity.

Mehmet Isler, Vice President of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation, has confirmed that the industry is meeting expectations and is expected to continue growing throughout the fall season.

Confidence in the rise of 60 million currently predicted

Isler has also expressed confidence in Turkey's tourism potential, predicting a rise to 60 million tourists by 2023. The government's projection for foreign arrivals to Türkiye is set at 60 million this year and a staggering 90 million by 2028. Despite a brief slowdown in reservations following the February earthquakes, the country still welcomed 7.15 million foreign visitors, representing a 7.25% increase from the previous year.

Isler went on to explain that: "Our country experienced a very painful event. Our reservation flows were slow in the aftermath of this incident. We didn't have a particularly brilliant July either. Turkish tourism began taking off, especially in August and September. With favourable weather conditions, we foresee an extension of the season.”

Turkey’s allure with highest arrivals from foreign countries

Istanbul saw its highest foreign arrivals in a decade, with 1.87 million visitors in a single month. These promising figures are a testament to Turkey's allure as a tourist destination and the industry's ongoing efforts to provide visitors with unforgettable experiences.

New target markets not previously chosen

“There is movement in the Far East, especially in China. We also see developments in the Latin American markets in terms of new tourism diversity. But as usual, Germany and Russia are taking the lead this year as well,” Isler explained.

“Russia had a surge in numbers in July and August compared to the previous year. Germany continues to be our main market as always."

The speaker conveyed his hopeful outlook on the prospect of hosting a staggering 3.5 million tourists hailing from the United Kingdom before the year's end, surpassing the previous record of 2.5 million British visitors achieved in 2019.

Reservation flows increasing and the season has extended

"So far, our reservation flows have increased by 15% when compared to September and October a year ago. We have reservations for November as well. Depending on weather conditions, the current situation and developments, we can provide accurate figures on the extension of the season to November and December by the end of September," Isler said.

Beijing lifts ban and promises to bring new tourists for culture

It was announced recently that Beijing had made the decision to lift the ban that was brought in during COVID-19 meaning group tours to dozens of countries, including Turkey, Japan and the United States, could be reintroduced.