Domestic tourists spent TL 102.3 billion ($2.1 billion) on travel within Türkiye during the first quarter of the year, with family visits and vacations accounting for more than four-fifths of total spending, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).

Total domestic travel expenditure rose about 34% from the same period a year earlier. Turkish residents recorded 73.6 million overnight stays during their trips across the country in the January-March period.

Family visits remained the leading reason for domestic travel spending. Residents spent TL 50.2 billion visiting relatives, up from TL 38.7 billion in the first quarter of last year.

Leisure travel, including sightseeing, entertainment and vacations, ranked second, with spending reaching TL 33 billion, compared with TL 22.9 billion a year earlier.

Combined, spending on family visits and vacations totaled TL 83.3 billion, representing the bulk of the TL 102.3 billion spent on domestic travel during the quarter.

Domestic travelers made 9.65 million trips to visit relatives during the period, generating 54.7 million overnight stays.

For leisure, entertainment and vacation travel, residents made 3.16 million trips and recorded 10.25 million overnight stays in the first quarter.