The tourism sector in Turkey recorded exceptionally during the year 2024, achieving revenues of $ 61.1 billion, an increase of 8.3% compared to 2023, according to the latest data issued by the Turkish Statistics Authority.
The number of foreign tourists also increased to 52.63 million tourists, exceeding the previous record of 49.2 million visitors in 2023.
Qualitative jump
According to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this jump in the numbers was the result of government strategies supporting the sector, in addition to the increasing demand for Turkish tourist destinations, especially in coastal cities such as Antalya, Istanbul and Capadocia.
According to government sources, factors contributed to supporting tourism and attracting the visit, most notably:
- Tourist infrastructure improves.
- Intensive promotional campaigns.
- Increase the number of direct flights.
- Competitive prices, compared to European Union countries, played a major role in enhancing Türkiye’s attractiveness as a favorite tourist destination.
Improved in the trade balance
The tourism sector is one of the largest foreign exchange sources in Türkiye, which contributed greatly to reducing the current account deficit. According to the data of the Turkish Central Bank, the current account recorded a deficit of $ 5.61 billion between January and November 2024, compared to $ 45.2 billion in 2023, which reflects a remarkable improvement in the performance of the macroeconomic.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier that the government expects the annual deficit to settle between 10 and 11 billion dollars, which represents less than 1% of GDP, thanks to the strong performance of the tourism sector and the increase in foreign exchange flows.
Russia and Europe top the list
As in previous years, Russia continued to be the first source of tourists coming to Türkiye, 6.7 million Russian tourists visited it in 2024.
As for Germany, it ranked second with more than 6.6 million German visitors, while the number of tourists from the United Kingdom increased to more than 4.4 million visitors, which reflects the great European demand for tourism in Turkey.
Türkiye also recorded an increase in the number of tourists from the Middle East and North Africa countries, driven by attractive tourism offers and the distinguished services provided by hotels and resorts.
Does standard growth continue?
With the success of the year 2024, the Turkish government expects tourism growth to continue in 2025, with the number of tourists increasing to 64 million visitors, and revenues of up to $ 63.6 billion.
Turkish Vice President Jawdat Yilmaz confirmed last month that the strong performance of tourism plays a pivotal role in achieving economic stability, adding that “the tourism sector has not only strengthened economic activities, but also provided great job opportunities, and contributed to supporting inflation reduction policies and achieving more balanced economic growth.” .
Official data showed that the average daily spending per tourist reached 97 dollars, an increase of 5.3% over 2023, and this reflects an increase in the rates of tourist spending and the quality of the services provided.
On the other hand, the Turkish spending on travel abroad decreased by 8.2% to $ 7.74 billion, as travelers spent $ 6.3 billion on personal expenses, while $ 1.43 billion was allocated to tourist group trips.
The importance of tourism for Turkey:
- Tourism is one of the most important foreign exchange sources in Türkiye and generates billions of dollars annually to the Turkish economy.
- Supporting the Turkish lira, tourist revenues provide cash flows in hard currency, which helps in stabilizing the exchange rate of the lira.
- It creates job opportunities. The tourism sector occupies millions of Turks in hotels, restaurants, transportation and entertainment services, which makes it one of the largest jobs saving.
- It attracts foreign investments, because the high number of tourists enhances investment in infrastructure, such as hotels, resorts and airports, which attracts more foreign investors.
Tourism success factors in Türkiye:
- Geographical and climate diversity: Türkiye provides a variety of tourist tourists, from Mediterranean beaches to historical monuments.
- Competitive prices: Türkiye is a tourist destination at reasonable prices compared to Europe.
- Governmental facilities: facilitated visa policies and improving tourism services contributed to attracting visitors.
