The two-month data in tourism has been announced. The tourism sector, breaking the record for the first two months of the past 10 years, has made a strong start to the year aiming for 60 million tourists and 60 billion dollars in revenue. According to the data for the first two months of 2024, Istanbul's share of tourism reached 56 percent. Additionally, the coincidence of Nevruz, Easter, and Ramadan holidays during the same period further boosted holiday mobility.
Tourism started off quite rapidly in 2024. February 2024 marked the highest number of foreign tourists ever recorded for the month of February. In monthly terms, 2,295,000 tourists visited Turkey. The two-month period of 2024 stood out as the period with the highest total tourist arrivals for January-February. The total number of tourists visiting Turkey in the two-month period was 4,341,606. Consequently, the tourism sector, which completely recovered from the pandemic traces in the first two months of 2023, started 2024 with a new record. The first two-month data for 2024 in Turkish tourism, aiming for 60 million tourists and 60 billion dollars in revenue, indicates steady progress towards the target. Due to Ramadan, Ramadan Bayram, and changing weather conditions, the summer season started early in Turkey.
GERMAN TOURIST PREFERENCE IN 2024
In the ranking of the countries whose citizens visit Turkey the most, Russia, Germany, Iran, Bulgaria, and Georgia generally make up the top five. In the ranking, as of the first two months of 2024, Iran surpassed other countries to take the first place. Germany, one of Turkey's source markets, is increasing the number of tourists it sends to Turkey compared to previous years. An increase of over 40 thousand tourists per month is observed. It is expected that German tourists will visit Turkey the most this year.
8% INCREASE
As one of the significant destinations in world tourism, Istanbul hosted 2,457,518 foreign visitors in the first two months of 2024. The number of foreign visitors to Istanbul increased by 8.08% compared to the same period of the previous year. Hosting half of the total number of foreign visitors to Turkey in the first two months, Istanbul was mostly preferred by Russians in February. According to the data of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul hosted 1,291,522 foreign visitors in February, an increase of 19.14% compared to the same month of the previous year, becoming the locomotive of Turkish tourism. Russian Federation citizens took the first place with 138,957 visitors entering Istanbul in February. Germany was second with 95,465 visitors, Iran was third with 75,312 visitors, and the United Kingdom was fourth with 56,430 visitors. France followed the United Kingdom with 48,902 visitors, Saudi Arabia with 43,415 visitors, and the USA with 41,472 visitors.
904 THOUSAND PASSENGERS
Istanbul Airport was the first choice for foreign visitors in February. Istanbul Airport was preferred by 904,642 foreign visitors in February. Istanbul Airport's share of the total number of foreign visitors arriving in Istanbul by air in February was 70.27%. Sabiha Gökçen Airport also welcomed 381,508 foreign visitors in February. The number of foreign visitors arriving in Istanbul by air in February increased by 19.17% compared to the same month of 2023, reaching 1,287,290. The number of foreign visitors arriving in Istanbul by sea last month was 4,232.
THREE HOLIDAY TRAFFICS IN THE SECTOR
Due to the Nevruz, which started on March 21 and lasts for 13 days, Easter on March 31, and Ramadan Bayram on April 10, there is a rapid traffic in internal tourism, entries from abroad, and reservations in the middle of the winter season. The intense mobility continues with the Nevruz Festival, which started on March 21.
Reservations are increasing in Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia, Izmir, and other centers for the Easter Holiday on March 31. Meanwhile, the extended Ramazan Bayram holiday for 9 days is expected to boost the domestic market.
FLIGHTS STARTED TO HATAY
Hatay was one of the cities most affected by the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. Hatay Airport, which was almost unusable, completed its renovation works. The first landing permission was requested from the tower, and flights started last week. Hatay Airport is once again serving with two-way flights as before. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, who conducted inspections at the renewed airport, said, "The runway will be made suitable for wide-body aircraft to land with a width of 60 meters, a new parallel taxiway with a length of 2,720 meters, 2 rapid exits, and 4 connecting taxiways will be built." The completion of the works is planned for the first quarter of 2026.