Türkiye remains a popular travel destination for tourists from all over the world, mainly from important European markets, despite the coronavirus impact, according to top international tourism officials.
Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), stressed that tourism’s restart and recovery is well underway.
“Türkiye has been among the destinations to experience a marked upturn in international arrivals during the peak summer season,” Pololikashvili told Anadolu Agency (AA).
Türkiye has attracted over 23 million foreign visitors from January through July, surging 128% annually, according to official data, paving the way for $37 billion in tourism revenues sought by the government.
Pololikashvili underlined that Türkiye was “well-placed” to welcome visitors back as it has been supporting its tourism sector throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Praising the investments in tourism infrastructure and labor, Pololikashvili said, “Coupled with the country’s rich history, and its many attractions, including coastal destinations, Türkiye is an attractive option for tourists, most notably from key European source markets.”
The big rebound in Turkish tourism this year has been driven by flocks of tourists from Europe, particularly Germany and the United Kingdom, in addition to arrivals from Russia, whose invasion of Ukraine had sparked fears across the vital industry.
From January through July, Germans were Türkiye’s top source market with 2.99 million visitors, followed by 2.2 million Russians and 1.8 million Britons, according to Culture and Tourism Ministry data.
Despite concerns over the impact of the war in Ukraine, the Turkish government recently raised its year-end targets to 47 million tourists and $37 billion in revenues, up from its earlier targets of 45 million arrivals and $35 billion in income.
