Türkiye's Cappadocia region, considered the global center of hot air balloon rides, welcomed nearly 5 million tourists on balloon tours over the past decade.
Some 4.77 million people flew on balloons in a scenic region in central Türkiye, an Anadolu Agency (AA) report said on Wednesday.
Widely popular as a tourist destination, both at home and abroad, Cappadocia attracts visitors with its fairy chimneys and rock-carved historical sites, hosting millions of people every year.
Tourist activity in the region, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been increasing in recent years, with tourists exploring the natural and historical beauty of the area while displaying particular interest in hot air balloon tours. Moreover, captivating images of the site, featuring numerous balloons, are often displayed on social media, prompting visitors to make their reservations weeks in advance of their visit to Türkiye.
In the region, where balloon flights can be carried out an average of 220 days a year, depending on weather conditions, 156 hot air balloons color the sky daily.
According to data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM), approximately 4,765,240 tourists have participated in hot air balloon tours over the past decade, enjoying bird’s-eye views of Cappadocia.
The number of tourists who joined balloon tours varied over the years, ranging from nearly 500,000 in 2015 to approximately 770,000 last year.
A notable trend was observed between 2022 and 2024, as indicated by the provided data.
Mehmet Halis Aydoğan, president of the Anatolian Hot Air Balloon Operators Association, in his interview with AA, highlighted Cappadocia's prominence, suggesting it is the most well-known and popular destination in the world for hot air ballooning.
He noted that participants in balloon tours in Cappadocia get the chance to fly over a unique landscape filled with historical, cultural and natural wonders.
"Cappadocia is the region with the most balloon flights in the world. While Egypt, Mexico, Tanzania, Kenya, and Morocco also have active balloon scenes, none match Cappadocia in terms of total passenger numbers. Globally, we can say that about 40% of all balloon flights take place in Cappadocia," he said.
"Looking at balloon tourism data from the past 10 years, we see that nearly 5 million people have flown in our balloons in this region," he added.
Pointing out that it is a widely recognized fact among balloonists worldwide that Cappadocia is number one, he attributed this to the region's geography and favorable weather conditions.
"The daily launch of 156 balloons creates a festive atmosphere. The rising use of social media has made Cappadocia a famous and highly sought-after destination for ballooning. We see that ballooning stands out in this destination where tourists come for cultural tourism," Aydoğan noted.
"The ballooning sector has made Cappadocia, after Istanbul, one of Türkiye’s most globally recognized destinations. This is a source of pride for us," he concluded.
