Last Updated on 20/09/2022
Foreign Tourists in Turkey increased by 308,48% in May 2022
With the fading of the Covid pandemic and the cases decreasing, foreign tourists in Turkey started to come massively. In fact, the ministry of culture and tourism released data last month showing the remarkable increase in the number of foreign tourists in Turkey.
The number of foreign tourists in Turkey remarkably increased
According to figures issued by the Culture and Tourism Ministry last month, the number of international visitors to Turkey climbed by 308.48 percent in May 2022 compared to the same month the previous year. Moreover, according to the government, 3,824,555 people visited the country throughout the month.
Meanwhile, the number of foreign visitors to Turkey climbed by 207.1 percent yearly from January to May 2022. To clarify, foreign tourists in Turkey reached 11.3 million in the same period.
Istanbul, the preferred destination of foreign tourists in Turkey
Some gates welcomed the most foreign tourists in Turkey. In fact, Istanbul and Antalya on the Mediterranean coast were respectively in the first and second place. Then northwestern Edirne, southwestern Muğla, and northern Artvin followed them.
Top countries sending Foreign tourists to Turkey
Germany ranked the top country in sending the most foreign tourists to Turkey. In fact, the number of German tourists increased by 367,24% in the first five months of the year. Moreover, Bulgaria followed it with a 334.88 % increase. Then comes Russia in the 3ed place with 49,40% and Russia third with a 49.40 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year.
Yet, observing the data for the month of May, again, Germany topped the list of countries sending tourists to Turkey, with a 420.62 percent raise over the same month the previous year. Moreover, the United Kingdom finished second with a 4657.99 percent gain, and Russia came in third with a 1777.79 percent increase. Furthermore, Russia was followed by Bulgaria and Iran.
The number of foreign tourists in Istanbul is near the pre-Covid levels
As most coronavirus restrictions have been relaxed, Turkey’s largest metropolis is seeing an influx of visitors, with crowd levels comparable to those seen previous to the epidemic.
Istanbul, which sits on the border of Europe and Asia, had a more than fourfold increase in foreign visitors in the first quarter of this year as the crucial sector continues to bounce back from the effects of COVID-19 preventive measures that have been in place since 2020. According to information from the local culture and tourist ministry, the number of foreign tourists to Istanbul increased by 135 percent on a yearly basis from January through March to almost 2.9 million. The number increased from 1.23 million over the same time last year.
Domestic Tourism increased as well
Despite rises in the arrival of foreign tourists in Turkey in May, the local tourism industry is now looking for alternatives to the Russian and CIS markets, which used to account for most of Turkey’s tourism arrivals. Yet, they are now declining due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Therefore, there is an intention to focus on the domestic market, especially the “Kurban bayramı” feast. Thus, attractive offers and payment facilities would try to draw the attention of local tourists.
Tourism income in Turkey increased between January-March.
According to the data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute, tourism revenue climbed by 122.4 percent in the first quarter of 2022, from $5 billion 454 million 488 thousand dollars to $5 billion 454 million 488 thousand dollars. Foreign tourists in Turkey provided 76.5 percent of this income (excluding GSM roaming and marina service charges), while local citizens provided 23.5 percent.
Visitors can plan their trips independently or as part of a package tour. Yet, individual spending accounted for 4 billion 852 million 137 thousand dollars of overall tourism revenue, while package tour expenditures accounted for 602 million 350 thousand dollars.
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