Türkiye tourism revenue hits record high in 2025

ISTANBUL, Türkiye (MNTV) — Türkiye’s tourism sector reached unprecedented levels in 2025, recording its highest-ever revenue and visitor numbers, as the country consolidated its position among the world’s leading tourism destinations.

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced at a press conference at Istanbul’s Atatürk Cultural Centre that tourism revenue climbed to $65.231 billion in 2025, the highest figure in the republic’s history.

The country also hosted nearly 64 million visitors during the year, marking record performance across key indicators.

Ersoy said the results reflect Türkiye’s transformation from a regional tourism hub into a global tourism power, noting that the sector concluded 2025 with historic achievements in revenue, visitor numbers and per capita spending. He set a revenue target of $68 billion for 2026.

The briefing marked the first formal engagement with tourism sector stakeholders in 2026, during which Ersoy reviewed the previous year’s performance and outlined Türkiye’s long-term tourism vision.

Addressing global uncertainty, Ersoy said Türkiye has developed strong crisis-management capabilities under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership.

He noted that rapid shifts in global economic and political conditions require flexibility, adding that Türkiye has gained substantial experience in navigating such challenges.

Citing United Nations World Tourism Organization data, Ersoy said Türkiye ranked fourth globally in tourist arrivals in 2024, up from eighth place in 2017.

In tourism revenues, the country rose from 15th place in 2017 to seventh in 2024, underscoring its growing global influence.

He said the government has reshaped Türkiye’s tourism strategy beyond the traditional sea-and-sun model, expanding into culture and faith tourism, archaeology, nature and ecotourism, health and thermal tourism, gastronomy, congress and exhibition tourism, cruise tourism and winter tourism.

Ersoy highlighted initiatives such as the “Legacy for the Future” vision and the Night Museums project, describing them as achievements attained by only a small number of countries worldwide.

He also pointed to the success of Türkiye’s promotional strategy, noting that a single episode of the mini-series An Istanbul Story attracted 32 million views, while even the least-watched content exceeded 10 million views.

He credited the results to coordinated efforts across the sector, thanking tourism professionals, tour operators, guides, hotel staff and the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency for their contributions.

According to official data, tourism revenue increased by 6.8 percent compared to 2024 and by 109 percent compared to 2017. Revenue rose from $31.254 billion in 2017 to $61.103 billion in 2024, before reaching $65.231 billion in 2025.

Total visitor numbers reached 63.941 million in 2025, representing a 2.7 percent increase from 2024 and a 68 percent rise from 2017. Visitor numbers had stood at 37.97 million in 2017 and 62.27 million in 2024.

The top three source markets in 2025 were Russia with 6.90 million visitors, Germany with 6.75 million, and the United Kingdom with 4.27 million.

Average nightly per capita spending reached $100 in 2025, up from $96.5 in 2024 and $73.8 in 2017. Foreign visitors spent an average of $114 per night, while Turkish citizens residing abroad spent $64.4. Overall per capita spending increased by 36 percent since 2017, with a 38 percent rise among foreign visitors.

The average length of stay for tourists in 2025 was recorded at 10.7 nights.

Looking ahead, Ersoy said Türkiye aims to generate $68 billion in tourism revenue in 2026, supported by expectations of double-digit growth in both core and long-haul markets.

He said 2025 would be remembered as the year Türkiye reached the highest levels in its history for tourism revenue, visitor numbers and per capita expenditure.