The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced Turkiye’s 2024 first-half results at a press conference in Istanbul. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism, said that the number of visitors to Turkiye in the first half of 2024 had increased by 13.9% year-on-year to 26.1 million.  Turkiye’s tourism revenues in the same period showed a 9.3% growth to 23.7 billion USD. Türkiye’s average daily expenditure per visitor reached to a 98 USD. Minister Ersoy said that the first 6 months’ results confirmed Turkiye’s commitment to its year-end target of 60 million visitors and 60 billion USD in revenues.

Turkiye achieved strong growth in key target markets

Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, Turkiye’s traditional biggest markets, have all continued to grow as visitors flocked to Türkiye’s major tourism hubs Antalya, Istanbul, Izmir, and Mugla. More than 2.7 million Russians chose Turkiye as their holiday destination, creating a 3% growth between January and June 2024. In the same period, the number of German visitors exceeded 2.5 million, and the growth in the German market was 9%. The United Kingdom, Turkiye’s third biggest market, showed a 19% growth as almost 1.8 million Brits visited Turkiye in the first half of the year. Turkiye achieved its biggest growth in the Chinese market, hosting more than 187.000 visitors, with a 111% increase compared to the same period last year. More than 56.000 Japanese visitors visited Turkiye in the first 6 months of 2024, which is %96 more than the same period of 2023.

Demand for cultural heritage is also on the rise

The priceless historical, cultural, and archaeological heritage of Turkiye arouses curiosity worldwide. In the first six months of 2024, Türkiye’s museums and historical sites hosted nearly 14 million visitors, an increase of 12% compared to the same period of the previous year. Turkiye’s most visited heritage sites in this period were Ephesus in Izmir, Mevlana Museum in Konya, Hierapolis & Pamukkale in Denizli, Goreme and Zelve/Pasabagları in Cappadocia/ Nevsehir.

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 About Turkish Cultural and Tourism Office in Dubai

The Turkish Cultural and Tourism Office in Dubai is the official representative of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism. One of the main aims of the Tourism Office is to bridge the gap between cultures and foster relationships with the travel industry by organizing promotional activities throughout the GCC. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism participates in travel exhibitions and conferences to position the country as a leading tourist destination. With its breath-taking views, unique historical and archaeological sites, steadily improving hotel and touristic infrastructure, and a tradition of hospitality and competitive prices, it’s no wonder Turkey is among the most sought-after travel destinations in the world.

The primary functions of The Turkish Cultural and Tourism Office in Dubai are:

  • Supervises all promotional activities relating to Turkey in the GCC
  • Liaise with travel agencies 
  • Organizes roadshows to further promote Turkey as a destination for leisure, shopping, health, sports and invest in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) Middle East market.