Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced during a speech in the Turkish Mediterranean gem of Antalya that the current tourist season had broken records.
The minister stated that Antalya’s airports are witnessing the daily arrival of approximately 100,000 foreign tourists.
“Antalya holds immense significance as a city, not only in agriculture but also as a tourism hub,” Ersoy emphasized.
He further highlighted that Antalya has consistently outperformed other cities regarding overnight stays and tourism income in the previous and current years.
The minister expressed his commitment to enhancing Antalya’s success further and elevating it to new heights. He stressed the importance of promoting tourism and generating revenue throughout the year, extending beyond the typical peak season.
“We must emphasize this aspect,” Ersoy continued, emphasizing the government’s intensified efforts in this regard.
He mentioned the ongoing initiatives, such as the development projects in the ancient village of Side initiated last year, followed by similar efforts in Kemer. Ersoy also revealed plans to visit the Ancient City of Syedra, expressing hopes for a productive and expeditious outcome. He confirmed that the work on these projects will begin this week.
The number of tourists arriving in Antalya by air this year has surpassed the five million mark, reaching a total of 5,071,305.
Antalya Governor Ersin Yazıcı expressed his admiration for Antalya, referring to it as “Türkiye’s guest room” due to its year-round tourism appeal, characterized by its exceptional climate, stunning azure sea, beautiful beaches, high-quality facilities, breathtaking nature, and rich historical heritage.
Highlighting Antalya’s status as the jewel of the Mediterranean, Yazıcı shared Sunday, “As of yesterday, the number of international tourists visiting Antalya, the capital of tourism, has reached an impressive 5,071,305.”
In addition, Antalya recently achieved a new daily record on June 17, with the arrival of 86,278 foreign passengers. This record was further surpassed on June 24, as 90,853 foreign guests arrived in Antalya by air.
With a determined outlook, the city aspires to welcome a total of 16 million tourists by the end of this year.
In May, Türkiye welcomed 4.5 million foreign visitors, marking a 16.2% year-over-year surge, propelled by robust flows from Russia, driven by flight restrictions imposed by Western nations over its invasion of Ukraine and alongside strong demand from Europe, led by Germany and the United Kingdom.
Arrivals from Russia rose 76.5% from a year ago to 640,844, the data showed, followed by Germany with 617,617, an increase of over 24%. The U.K. came third with an increase of over 12% versus May 2022’s 452,724.
Antalya emerged as the top draw, accounting for 33.6% of the May arrivals and welcoming 1.51 million tourists. Istanbul, the country’s largest city and a renowned tourist spot, is closely followed by 1.5 million foreign visitors.
The enchanting Aegean province of Muğla and the northwestern province of Edirne, bordering Bulgaria and Greece, attracted a substantial number of tourists, with 380,899 and 349,123 visitors, respectively.
In January-May, foreign arrivals jumped by 23.7% year-over-year, surpassing the 14 million mark.
