Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced Turkey’s tourism income for the first quarter of 2020. The country’s tourism income dropped 11.4% compared to the same period last year, amid worldwide travel restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Turkey’s tourism income reached US$4 billion 101 million 206 thousand. While 80.6% of this income (excluding GSM roaming and marina service expenditures) was obtained from foreign visitors, 19.4% was obtained from citizens resident abroad.
Visitors organize their travel individually or with a package tour. While individual expenditures constituted US$3 billion 564 million 760 thousand of the total tourism income, US$536 million 445 thousand of tourism income was obtained by package tour expenditures.
In this quarter, all expenditure types decreased compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Health expenditure decreased by 17.5%, accommodation expenditure decreased by 15.7% and international transport expenditure decreased by 12.1%.
Average expenditure per night was $ 70
In this quarter while the average expenditure per night of the foreigners who stayed overnight was $ 74, an average expenditure per night of Turkish citizens resident abroad was $ 59.
Number of departing visitors decreased by 15.1%
In this quarter number of departing visitors decreased by 15.1% compared to the same quarter of the previous year and declined to 5 million 639 thousand 413 persons. While 82.2% of visitors were foreign with 4 million 635 thousand 845 persons, 17.8% of them were Turkish citizens resident abroad with 1 million 3 thousand 568 persons.
In this quarter, foreign visitors visited Turkey mostly for “travel, entertainment, sportive and cultural activities” with 59.9%
The secondary purpose of visit was “visiting relatives and friends” with 21.7% and the third was “shopping” with 7.2%.
Turkish citizens resident abroad visited mostly for “visiting relatives and friends” with 66.8%.
Tourism expenditure decreased by 25.6%
Tourism expenditure which is the expenditure of the Turkish citizens resident in Turkey and visited abroad decreased by 25.6% compared to the same quarter of the previous year and declined to $ 793 million 491 thousand. While $ 652 million 32 thousand of total expenditures were individual expenditures, $ 141 million 459 thousand of tourism expenditures were package tour expenditures.
