Booming Tourism in Türkiye: Foreign Visitor Numbers Soar

ANKARA – The tourism industry in Türkiye is witnessing a significant rebound, with foreign visitor numbers in October reaching nearly 5 million, marking a 3.8% increase compared to the previous year. This remarkable recovery surpasses the pre-pandemic levels of 4.3 million in October 2019, according to the latest official data.

Tourist Hotspots: Antalya and Istanbul Lead the Way

Indeed, The illustrious resort city of Antalya, nestled on the Turkish Riviera, emerged as the top destination, attracting 1.8 million visitors in October alone. Istanbul, Türkiye’s bustling metropolis, was not far behind, welcoming 1.6 million foreign tourists. The Aegean province of Mugla and the strategically located northwestern province of Edirne, bordering both Bulgaria and Greece, also saw impressive figures with 386,811 and 372,341 visitors, respectively.

Germany, Russia, and the UK: Top Contributors to Tourism

Furthermore, In terms of nationalities, Germans topped the list, constituting 17.3% of the foreign visitors in October – approximately 860,635. They were closely followed by tourists from Russia (13.5%) and the UK (8.9%).

Impressive Yearly Growth in Foreign Tourist Arrivals

Looking at the broader picture, the January-October period of this year saw a remarkable 11.6% year-on-year increase in foreign tourist arrivals, totaling 44.2 million. Russia led the way with 5.8 million visitors, closely trailed by Germany with 5.7 million, and the UK with 3.6 million. Istanbul, the cultural and economic hub of Türkiye, claimed 33.4% of all foreign tourist traffic during this period, amounting to 14.8 million. Antalya and Edirne also maintained their popularity, hosting 14.1 million and 4 million tourists, respectively.

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