Turkey on the verge of breaking tourism record thanks to Russian and German visitors

05-02-24

In 2023, Turkey came close to breaking its all-time record for tourism inflow, driven largely by the significant number of visitors from Russia and Germany, managing to attract a total of 49.2 million international tourists. This remarkable volume of tourists represents an increase of 10.4% compared to the previous year, although it failed to surpass the absolute record of 51.9 million set in 2019. Despite this slight gap, Turkey did manage to set a new milestone in terms of tourism revenue, reaching €50 billion, an increase of 17% compared to 2022.

Turkey's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, presented these results highlighting the success of the country's tourism season. According to Ersoy, Russia's leadership was undisputed, with 6.3 million Russians visiting Turkey, closely followed by 6.1 million Germans and 3.8 million Britons. The list of main issuing countries is completed by Bulgaria and Iran, with 2.8 and 2.5 million tourists, respectively.

Looking ahead, Minister Ersoy has set an ambitious goal for 2024: to reach 60 million visitors. To achieve this goal, Turkey plans to focus not only on its traditional markets, but also on expanding into new regions. Specifically, it seeks to attract more tourists from North America, including the United States and Canada, as well as from the Nordic countries, such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. In addition, the strategy includes a push into the Asia-Oceanic markets, with a particular emphasis on China, India and Australia.

This diversified approach seeks not only to increase the number of international visitors, but also to strengthen Turkey's position as a top tourist destination on the world stage. With a rich cultural heritage, stunning natural landscapes and unparalleled hospitality, Turkey is positioned as an attractive destination for a wide range of tourists, from those interested in history and culture to adventure and nature lovers.

As Turkey moves toward its 2024 goal, the country continues to develop its tourism infrastructure and expand its experiential offerings to meet and exceed visitor expectations. With initiatives ranging from improving air connectivity to promoting sustainable tourism, Turkey strives to offer a rich and diverse tourism experience that can capture the interest of travelers from around the world.