Türkiye's tourism revenue remains stable at $25.75 billion in first half of 2026 - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Türkiye generated $25.75 billion in tourism revenue during the first six months of 2026, broadly matching last year's performance despite a decline in visitor numbers. According to figures released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), tourism income slipped by just 0.1% year on year, while higher average spending per traveller helped cushion the impact of lower arrivals.

Between January and June, Türkiye welcomed 24.84 million international visitors, down 2.7% compared with the same period in 2025. However, average expenditure per visitor increased by 2.5% to $1,020, while average spending per overnight stay also rose by 2.5% to $108.

Second-quarter revenue declines as arrivals slow

Tourism revenue reached $15.87 billion between April and June, a decrease of 2.6% compared with the second quarter of last year.

Visitors generated $15.66 billion of the total, while transfer passengers contributed a further $209.5 million. Turkish citizens living abroad accounted for 15.6% of visitor-generated tourism income during the quarter.

Individual travellers spent $10.93 billion, while package-tour expenditure totalled $4.72 billion.

Visitor spending continues to increase

The number of departing visitors fell by 5.1% year on year to 15.58 million during the second quarter. Of these, almost 2.53 million were Turkish citizens residing abroad, representing 16.2% of all departing visitors.

Despite the decline in traveller numbers, spending remained resilient. Average expenditure per visitor increased by 2.5% to $1,005, while average overnight spending rose 2.8% to $113.

Accommodation and dining outperform package holidays

Package holidays accounted for the largest share of tourism revenue at 30.2%, followed by food and beverage spending with 21%, international transportation at 12.4% and accommodation at 11.3%.

Compared with the same period last year, package-tour expenditure declined by 5.5%, while spending on international transportation fell by 6.1%. In contrast, accommodation revenue increased by 11.7% and food and beverage expenditure rose by 5.2%, reflecting continued demand for on-site tourism services.

Leisure travel remains the main travel purpose

Travel for leisure, entertainment, sports and cultural activities remained the primary reason for visiting Türkiye, accounting for 71.3% of all trips. Visiting relatives and friends represented 16.6% of visits, while shopping accounted for 6%.

Image Credit: © TGA