Türkiye Surpasses Pre-Pandemic Levels in January

Foreign tourist arrivals in Türkiye surpassed pre-pandemic levels in January 2023, topping 2 million.

Türkiye's Culture and Tourism Ministry announced that Türkiye had welcomed 1.28 million foreign tourists in January last year, and nearly 510,000 in January 2021, when the world tourism sector ground to a near halt amid widespread travel restrictions as well as airports and national border closures.

The pre-pandemic tourist arrivals in January 2020 were 1.18 million.

Russians made up the largest chunk of foreign visitors to Türkiye last month, with over 279,818 arrivals, double compared to a year ago. According to an international flight analysis, Turkish tourism largely benefitted from the Russia - Ukraine war.

They were followed by Bulgarians with 167,138 visitors (up 52% year-on-year), Germans with 139,955 (up 36.4%), and Georgians with 114,508 (up 190.4%).

Istanbul, Turkiye's largest city by population and a top tourist hub, welcomed 59.3% of all foreign visitors, or 1.19 million.

Edirne province on Türkiye's northwestern border with both Bulgaria and Greece, took second place with a 12.1% share, or 242,615 visitors. Resort city Antalya followed with 9.1%, or more than 183,338 tourists.

Sources: AA, Turkish Culture & Tourism Ministry