Türkiye’s Tourism Industry Sets New Records in January
tourism
Türkiye’s tourism sector continues its upward trajectory, with foreign visitor numbers reaching a new all-time January high, official data showed on Friday. The industry, which achieved record-breaking figures in 2024, maintained its momentum as arrivals rose by 6.1% year-over-year, totaling 2.17 million last month.
Tourism Boom Expected to Continue in 2025
Following 52.63 million tourist arrivals in 2024—surpassing the previous peak of 49.2 million in 2023—expectations remain high for 2025. When counting visits by Turks living abroad, last year’s figure soared to 62.27 million.
For 2025, the government forecasts 64 million visitors and $63.6 billion in tourism revenue, building on 2024’s $61.1 billion income—a 8.3% increase from the previous year, which had already shattered the prior record of $54.3 billion in 2023.
Shift in Top Visitor Rankings: Iranians Surpass Russians
In a notable shift, Iranians overtook Russians as the largest group of foreign visitors to Türkiye in January. The latest data from the Culture and Tourism Ministry revealed that:
- 240,643 Iranians visited Türkiye last month, making them the top nationality.
- 203,733 Russians followed, marking a rare change in rankings.
- 165,792 Bulgarians rounded out the top three.
Despite this shift, Russians and European tourists—particularly from Germany and the United Kingdom—have dominated Türkiye’s tourism sector in recent years.
- More than 6.7 million Russians visited Türkiye in 2024.
- German arrivals surged to over 6.6 million.
- British tourists totaled more than 4.4 million.
Tourism: A Key Driver of Türkiye’s Economy
Tourism plays a crucial role in Türkiye’s economy, contributing around 10% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and providing about 5% of total employment. The sector’s strong performance has been instrumental in narrowing Türkiye’s current account deficit, a long-standing economic challenge.
Current Account Deficit Shrinks Amid Policy Measures
Türkiye’s current account deficit fell sharply to $9.97 billion in 2024, a significant improvement from nearly $40 billion the previous year. This decline was driven by:
- Interest rate hikes
- Restrictions on gold trade
- Policies to curb domestic demand and boost exports
The deficit-to-GDP ratio also plummeted to 0.7% in 2024, down from 3.6% in 2023—well below Türkiye’s long-term average of 3%. The government’s medium-term economic plan projects a 1.7% deficit-to-GDP ratio, reinforcing its commitment to achieving a more sustainable economic balance.
With continued efforts to strengthen exports and manage domestic consumption, Türkiye aims to capitalize on its thriving tourism sector as a key driver of economic stability and growth.
