Turkey set for record breaking tourism in 2026
Turkey is expecting to extend its tourism performance from last year, data from its Ministry of Culture and Tourism have revealed. The figures how that foreign arrivals rose to 2.25 million in January 2026, a 3.48% increase on the same month last year, after December 2025 showed growth.
Europeans were the largest visitors to Turkey, accounting for 38.19%, primarily German, Bulgarian, and British tourists. An increase was recorded from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, making Middle Eastern travellers account for 10.66%, with Asians, especially Chinese and Pakistani travellers, accounted for 26.34%. Visitors from the other side of the Atlantic were still low with just 1.11% of all tourists coming from the Americas.
Despite its colder weather, Istanbul lead with just over a million travellers at the beginning of the year, followed by Edirne which saw 171,000 people visiting over the same period. Antalya was next with 67,000 arrivals, and as temperatures climb, the numbers are expected to rise as well.
2025 was a record year for Turkey as 52.78 million international visitors arrived in the country, making up 63.94 million total arrivals when those living abroad are also counted. The country saw its tourism revenue rise by 6.8%, reaching $65.23 billion, more than the predicted $64 billion, contributing 10% to the country’s national output and supporting nearly a twentieth of jobs. The government hopes that 2026 will see $68 billion in earnings from the sector.
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