Türkiye Sees Tourism Revenues Rise to $9.45 Billion in Q1 2025

Türkiye’s tourism income surged to $9.45 billion in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 5.6% year-on-year increase, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) on Wednesday. This growth reflects the resilience and ongoing appeal of Türkiye as a top travel destination despite global economic fluctuations.

The average expenditure per visitor reached $1,022, rising 4.8% compared to the same period last year. Visitors spent an average of $99 per night, underlining the country’s value-for-money tourism offerings in the January–March period.

Top Spending Areas: Food, Transport, and Tours

Tourism expenditures were largely driven by:

• Food and beverage spending, which made up 24.7% of total tourism income,

• International transportation accounting for 15.9%, and

• Package tour purchases representing 13.1%.

These figures show that Türkiye remains not only a cultural and historical attraction, but also a well-rounded travel experience with strong infrastructure and hospitality offerings.

Main Purpose of Visits: Travel and Cultural Activities

The majority of international travelers—52.5%—visited Türkiye for leisure purposes, including travel, entertainment, sports, and cultural exploration. This was followed by those coming to visit friends or relatives (26.7%) and tourists whose primary focus was shopping, at 10.3%.

These insights highlight Türkiye’s diverse tourism appeal, from rich traditions and landscapes to urban attractions and marketplaces.

Outbound Tourism and Expenditures Also Surge

Outbound tourism also showed strong performance:

• 2.6 million Turkish citizens traveled abroad in Q1 2025, up 6% year-on-year.

• Türkiye’s tourism-related expenditures abroad rose 37.6% to reach $2.5 billion, signaling increased purchasing power and travel demand among Turkish nationals.