In the first quarter covering January-March 2026, Turkey's tourism sector maintained its growth momentum. The number of foreign tourists visiting the country increased by 4.2 percent compared to the same period last year, reaching 9.2 million. Tourism revenues also increased, recording 9.9 billion US dollars.
According to Modern.az, Turkey's Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced the indicators for the first three months of 2026 at a press conference in Istanbul. The minister stated that a stable increase was observed in both the number of tourists and tourism revenues during this period.
According to official data, tourism revenues reached 9 billion 896 million US dollars in the first quarter of the year, which means an increase of 4.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
Ersoy noted that the world is currently going through a sensitive and volatile phase. Regional tensions, geopolitical processes, and the negative effects of conflicts cause fluctuations in international travel flows, which directly affects the tourism sector.
“Crises have always existed in our region and will continue to exist. The main issue is how these processes are managed. Last year, we also faced similar global events and regional uncertainties. Despite this, we ended 2025 with 64 million tourists and 65.2 billion dollars in tourism revenue. These indicators show that Turkey is not only a strong tourism destination but also a country with high crisis management capabilities,” the minister emphasized.
The minister added that Turkey continues its development this year with the same determination and experience gained in previous years. According to him, in the first three months of the year, the number of foreign visitors to the country increased by 4.2 percent, reaching 9.2 million, and tourism revenues increased by the same rate, rising to 9.9 billion dollars.
Ersoy stated that reservation trends, cancellations, and tourist behaviors are continuously monitored. This allows for a more accurate analysis of the current situation and flexible steps to be taken in line with the markets.
International events strengthen Turkey's tourism appeal
According to the minister, Turkey, especially Istanbul, is currently hosting important international sports and cultural events and is preparing for new large projects. Such events further strengthen the country's position as a global tourism destination.
“Istanbul will return to the Formula 1 calendar with the Turkish Grand Prix starting from 2027. The UEFA Europa League final will be held in Istanbul on May 20. The city's stadiums and concert halls host performances by international stars. Tens of thousands of tourists from Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and Asia visit Turkey to attend these events,” Ersoy noted.
The minister emphasized that international events are not limited to sports and arts but also play an important role in strengthening Turkey's global tourism image.
In the first three months of the year, the average overnight spending of tourists in Turkey increased by 2.8 percent, reaching 102 US dollars. For comparison, this indicator was 68 dollars in 2017 and 99 dollars in 2025.
In the first quarter of 2026, Germany ranked first among the countries sending the most tourists to Turkey with 678 thousand visitors. 651 thousand tourists from the Russian Federation and 539 thousand from Bulgaria visited the country.
