Istanbul saw a significant increase in foreign visitors this May, with a rise of 11.48% compared to the same month last year. The city welcomed 1,678,832 international tourists, showcasing its growing appeal.
Russia topped the list of countries sending visitors, with 176,702 tourists arriving in May. Germany followed closely with 140,214 visitors, while the United States sent 90,318 tourists. Iran came fourth with 84,587 visitors.
From the United Kingdom, 80,052 people visited Istanbul, followed by 66,170 from France and 57,071 from Saudi Arabia. These numbers reflect Istanbul’s global attraction.
Istanbul Airport was the preferred entry point for the majority of visitors. In May, 1,198,723 foreign tourists chose this airport, making up 72.85% of all arrivals by air. Meanwhile, Sabiha Gökçen Airport saw 445,225 international visitors, accounting for 27.06% of the total.
The number of foreign visitors arriving by air in May also increased by 12.09% compared to May 2023, reaching 1,645,423. This underscores the growing trend of air travel to Istanbul.
According to the latest accommodation statistics from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 1,129,657 guests stayed at ministry-certified facilities in April. These guests made a total of 2,499,143 overnight stays, resulting in an occupancy rate of 51.47% for Istanbul’s lodging establishments.
