Turkey’s tourism sector continues to shine, with the latest figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute revealing a significant boost in revenue.
For the second quarter of 2024, encompassing the months of April, May, and June, Turkey’s tourism income reached a remarkable $14.9 billion, marking an 11.8% increase compared to the same period last year.
This growth is driven by a surge in visitor numbers, which rose by 15% year-on-year to 16.1 million. Of these visitors, 14.9% were Turkish citizens residing abroad, contributing notably to the overall tourism income. The country’s diverse offerings, from historical landmarks to picturesque beaches, continue to attract a mix of tourists organizing their trips through both personal arrangements and package tours.
Spending patterns among visitors showed that personal expenditures accounted for $10.3 billion, while package tour expenditures contributed $4.5 billion to the total tourism revenue. Notably, the average expenditure per night for visitors was $101, with Turkish residents living abroad spending an average of $69 per night during their stays.
Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, commented on the robust performance, highlighting the importance of the tourism sector to the nation’s economy. “The consistent growth in tourism revenue is a testament to Turkey’s enduring appeal and the effective promotion of our rich cultural heritage and natural beauty,” he stated.
The breakdown of tourism spending reveals that package tour expenditures made up 30.6% of the total revenue, followed by food and beverage spending at 18.5%, and international transportation expenses at 12.2%. Year-on-year, there was a notable 32.5% increase in package tour spending, a 10.6% rise in food and beverage expenses, and a 1.9% uptick in international transportation costs.
When it comes to travel motives, visiting friends and relatives was the second most popular reason, accounting for 19.1% of all visits, followed by shopping at 5.4%. Among Turkish citizens living abroad, family visits dominated, representing 66.5% of their travel purposes.
On the other side of the coin, Turkish citizens traveling abroad spent slightly less in the same period, with outbound tourism expenses declining by 3.9% to $1.96 billion. Personal expenditures formed the bulk of these expenses at $1.6 billion, while package tour spending accounted for $345 million. Despite the decrease in overall expenditure, the number of Turkish citizens traveling abroad rose by 3% compared to the previous year, reaching nearly 3 million, with an average expenditure of $660 per person.
As Turkey continues to solidify its status as a top global destination, these positive trends in tourism revenue and visitor numbers are likely to sustain the momentum, contributing significantly to the country’s economic growth.
