Tourism in Turkey is focused largely on a variety of historical sites, and on seaside resorts along its Aegean and Mediterranean Sea coasts. Turkey has also become a popular destination for culture, spa, and health care. [1] Since 2021, Turkey is the fourth most visited country in the world. [2]
At its height in 2019, Turkey attracted around 51 million foreign tourists, [3] [4] The total number fluctuated between around 41 million in 2015, and around 30 million in 2016. [5] [6] However, recovery began in 2017, with the number of foreign visitors increasing to 37.9 million, and in 2018 to 46.1 million visitors. [7] [8] [9]
Istanbul is one of the most important tourist spots not only in Turkey but also in the world. There are thousands of hotels and other tourist-oriented industries in the city. Turkey's largest city, Istanbul has a number of major attractions derived from its historical status as the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the "Blue Mosque"), the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Galata Tower, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, and the Pera Palace Hotel. Istanbul has also recently become one of the biggest shopping centers of the European region by hosting malls and shopping centers, such as MetroCity, Akmerkez and Cevahir Mall, which is the biggest mall in Europe and seventh largest shopping center in the world. Other attractions include sporting events, museums, and cultural events.
In January 2013, the Turkish government announced that it would build the world's largest airport in Istanbul. The operation has an invested 7-billion euros and was planned to have the first part of a four-part plan completed by 2017. [10]
As a consequence of the continuous fall in tourism to Turkey in recent years, as of October 2016 in Istanbul's famous bazaar once crowded shopping streets are not as crowded as before, "the streams of tourists who used to visit the market each day have trickled to a halt". [5] The number of foreign tourists visiting Istanbul declined to 9.2 million in 2016, a 26 percent decrease compared to 2015. [11]
Ankara is the country's capital and second most populated city. [12] It is rich with Turkish history and culture that have roots in the founding of Turkey along with the history of ancient civilizations. The most popular landmark is the Anıtkabir, [13] a mausoleum for Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. Another landmark would be the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, a museum that possesses works from Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, and Roman civilizations. [14]
Izmir is a city with historical and geopolitical importance in ancient civilizations such as Macedonia, Persia, Lydia, and the Ottomans. [15] The city has a memorable history in the early years of Turkey as it was the main city that was affected by the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922). [16] Izmir is home to many ancient cities such as Ephesus, Pergamon, and Klazomenai. [17] Besides historical significance, Izmir also possesses many locations for coastal tourism for international travelers. Frequently visited regions that have tourist beaches for local and international tourists would be Çeşme, Mordoğan, and Foça. [18] [19]
Beach vacations and Blue Cruises, particularly for Turkish delights and visitors from Western Europe, are also central to the Turkish tourism industry. Most beach resorts are located along the southwestern and southern coast, called the Turkish Riviera, especially along the Mediterranean coast near Antalya. Antalya is also accepted as the tourism capital of Turkey. [20] Major resort towns include Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kuşadası, Didim and Alanya. Also, Turkey has been chosen second in the world in 2015 with its 436 blue-flagged beaches, according to the Chamber of Shipping. [21]
Attractions elsewhere in the country include the sites of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, House of the Virgin Mary, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Trabzon (where one of the oldest monasteries is the Sümela Monastery), Konya (where the poet Rumi had spent most of his life), Didyma, Church of Antioch, ancient Pontic capital and king rock tombs with its acropolis in Amasya, religious places in Mardin (such as Deyrülzafarân Monastery), and the ruined cities and landscapes of Cappadocia.
One of the most important and famous cities in the east and southeast of Turkey is called Diyarbakır. This city is considered one of the important options for traveling to the east of Turkey due to its numerous historical, religious and cultural places. For researchers who are interested in cultural studies, this city is a favorable option for study and research due to the accommodation of different ethnic groups (Kurds, Turks, Arabs, Assyrians, Armenians) and religious groups (Muslims, Christians). Due to the civil wars between the PKK group and the central government of Turkey in the 90's, the number of tourists in this region decreased. With the beginning of the 21st century and after the establishment of relative peace and security in these areas, tourism has been increasing again in these areas. [27]
Gallipoli and Anzac Cove – a small cove on the Gallipoli peninsula, which became known as the site of World War I landing of the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) on 25 April 1915. Following the landing at Anzac Cove, the beach became the main base for the Australian and New Zealand troops for the eight months of the Gallipoli campaign.
As of 2023, Turkey hosts 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 19 cultural and 2 mixed. [29]
Turkey's World Heritage Sites, as per their official UNESCO names, are as follows:
An emerging branch of tourism in Turkey is medical tourism. Commonly performed medical procedures are hair transplant operations, rhinoplasty and cosmetic dentistry as it draws in thousands of foreigner tourists every year. [30] [31] In 2021, the revenue generated from medical tourism was given as $1.05 billion with 642,000 people that visited for the purpose of getting medical service. [32] This is due to Turkey offering high-quality clinics for affordable pricing compared to the rest of Europe and its central location between Asia and Europe. [33] Other reasons for the high demand for healthcare in Turkey are foreigners having easy visa procedures and immediate scheduling for operations. [1]
Most tourist arrivals in Turkey come from the following countries: [34] [35] [9] [36] [37]
Country | 7/2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Russia | 3,611,218 | 6,313,675 | 5,232,611 | 4,694,422 | 2,128,758 | 7,017,657 | 5,964,631 |
Germany | 3,502,628 | 6,193,259 | 5,679,194 | 3,085,215 | 1,118,932 | 5,027,472 | 4,512,360 |
United Kingdom | 2,434,333 | 3,800,922 | 3,370,739 | 392,746 | 820,709 | 2,562,064 | 2,254,871 |
Iran | 1,754,719 | 2,504,494 | 2,331,076 | 9,618 | 385,762 | 2,102,890 | 2,001,744 |
Bulgaria | 1,623,071 | 2,893,092 | 2,882,512 | 1,402,795 | 1,242,961 | 2,713,464 | 2,386,885 |
Poland | 1,006,273 | 1,539,123 | 1,135,903 | 585,076 | 145,908 | 880,839 | 646,365 |
Georgia | 856,027 | 1,633,977 | 1,514,813 | 291,852 | 410,501 | 1,995,254 | 2,069,392 |
Netherlands | 772,099 | 1,232,220 | 1,244,756 | 645,601 | 271,526 | 1,117,290 | 1,013,642 |
United States | 771,849 | 1,334,337 | 1,013,478 | 371,759 | 148,937 | 578,074 | 448,327 |
France | 638,178 | 1,031,824 | 986,090 | 621,493 | 311,708 | 875,957 | 731,379 |
Romania | 625,157 | 990,005 | 886,555 | 496,178 | 269,076 | 763,320 | 641,484 |
Saudi Arabia | 554,907 | 820,683 | 497,914 | 10,083 | 67,490 | 564,816 | 747,233 |
Azerbaijan | 533,473 | 855,445 | 683,834 | 470,618 | 236,797 | 901,723 | 858,506 |
Kazakhstan | 529,417 | 826,319 | 712,136 | 366,076 | 137,213 | 455,724 | 426,916 |
Ukraine | 525,074 | 839,729 | 675,467 | 2,060,008 | 997,652 | 1,547,996 | 1,386,934 |
Iraq | 512,795 | 1,051,721 | 1,208,895 | 836,624 | 387,587 | 1,374,896 | 1,172,896 |
Greece | 397,534 | 686,480 | 569,795 | 157,723 | 136,305 | 836,882 | 686,891 |
Belgium | 388,017 | 596,355 | 596,173 | 339,529 | 138,729 | 557,435 | 511,559 |
Italy | 343,923 | 602,176 | 420,661 | 116,806 | 72,619 | 377,011 | 284,195 |
Uzbekistan | 245,836 | 470,644 | 419,673 | 272,604 | 102,598 | 252,138 | 241,235 |
Austria | 312,464 | 496,482 | 454,638 | 284,095 | 112,126 | 401,475 | 353,628 |
Sweden | 245,220 | 364,984 | 415,696 | 192,872 | 93,703 | 444,285 | 384,397 |
China | 230,819 | 248,119 | 89,515 | 33,641 | 40,264 | 426,344 | 394,109 |
Switzerland | 224,251 | 390,044 | 382,835 | 219,591 | 127,643 | 311,107 | 269,649 |
Czech Republic | 223,870 | 384,158 | 295,454 | 89,734 | 15,642 | 311,359 | 228,251 |
Denmark | 211,949 | 319,835 | 356,127 | 111,499 | 44,694 | 335,877 | 326,278 |
Spain | 194,310 | 324,690 | 298,165 | 104,848 | 54,381 | 257,342 | 178,018 |
India | 193,248 | 274,159 | 231,579 | 52,651 | 44,707 | 230,131 | 147,127 |
Serbia | 186,889 | 311,738 | 357,787 | 238,852 | 129,284 | 282,347 | 225,312 |
Jordan | 181,303 | 384,680 | 494,629 | 326,633 | 93,750 | 474,874 | 406,469 |
Moldova | 179,555 | 288,377 | 274,257 | 192,441 | 109,137 | 198,867 | 194,268 |
Belarus | 177,001 | 309,216 | 239,966 | 220,932 | 106,426 | 258,419 | 245,254 |
Kuwait | 166,355 | 363,070 | 480,123 | 246,249 | 120,221 | 374,191 | 298,620 |
Algeria | 166,300 | 292,505 | 210,478 | 48,827 | 50,121 | 295,512 | 288,207 |
Lithuania | 124,260 | 277,810 | 251,619 | 114,227 | 14,194 | 229,704 | 199,371 |
Northern Cyprus | 120,454 | 215,137 | 182,945 | 68,353 | 59,808 | 268,341 | 266,859 |
Lebanon | 116,625 | 257,781 | 272,844 | 191,768 | 89,337 | 376,721 | 338,837 |
Canada | 115,597 | 248,868 | 197,416 | 72,034 | 34,210 | 139,164 | 108,272 |
Morocco | 104,243 | 262,124 | 251,708 | 121,333 | 67,775 | 234,264 | 176,538 |
Indonesia | 102,704 | 178,800 | 152,995 | 49,319 | 36,690 | 127,149 | 119,337 |
Libya | 99,924 | 194,351 | 220,179 | 197,983 | 107,251 | 259,243 | 188,312 |
South Korea | 99,016 | 159,039 | 99,869 | 15,206 | 36,636 | 212,970 | 159,354 |
North Macedonia | 98,111 | 251,066 | 266,184 | 182,045 | 115,483 | 222,862 | 209,519 |
Egypt | 96,683 | 187,053 | 227,850 | 124,483 | 68,936 | 177,655 | 148,943 |
Kyrgyzstan | 93,925 | 169,906 | 147,487 | 102,840 | 52,142 | 121,364 | 114,926 |
Norway | 92,520 | 203,325 | 191,789 | 54,633 | 25,100 | 208,330 | 161,789 |
Kosovo | 91,946 | 174,681 | 193,823 | 145,931 | 70,462 | 152,048 | 139,500 |
Hungary | 86,642 | 222,327 | 165,842 | 76,257 | 16,563 | 149,523 | 123,448 |
Ireland | 81,707 | 163,165 | 136,608 | 36,947 | 26,176 | 96,886 | 71,221 |
Bosnia | 81,350 | 177,893 | 200,698 | 131,347 | 61,651 | 144,445 | 120,480 |
Tunisia | 80,285 | 176,547 | 206,714 | 126,970 | 57,563 | 172,587 | 142,372 |
Australia | 77,059 | 192,770 | 118,847 | 15,674 | 15,109 | 120,837 | 96,488 |
Turkmenistan | 69,018 | 120,928 | 45,249 | 18,979 | 43,236 | 297,706 | 252,911 |
Albania | 63,978 | 142,482 | 145,032 | 89,748 | 49,667 | 134,869 | 125,935 |
Philippines | 59,854 | 120,347 | 97,954 | 55,397 | 48,440 | 139,126 | 95,068 |
Pakistan | 58,077 | 140,388 | 173,621 | 90,681 | 51,326 | 130,736 | 113,579 |
Japan | 55,646 | 78,782 | 30,610 | 7,153 | 19,122 | 103,320 | 81,931 |
Mexico | 55,101 | 155,155 | 114,267 | 34,705 | 12,775 | 66,557 | 36,737 |
Finland | 55,096 | 117,123 | 117,281 | 32,809 | 15,003 | 135,192 | 128,860 |
Brazil | 49,597 | 106,717 | 84,582 | 17,788 | 22,722 | 101,164 | 78,691 |
Malaysia | 47,426 | 95,444 | 89,766 | 9,618 | 17,892 | 114,214 | 95,591 |
United Arab Emirates | 40,419 | 120,819 | 146,438 | 52,587 | 3,772 | 37,500 | 43,292 |
Israel | 34,603 | 2,305,997 | 843,028 | 225,238 | 129,677 | 569,368 | 443,732 |
Bahrain | 31,074 | 64,771 | 98,147 | 62,730 | 17,852 | 90,299 | 77,075 |
Qatar | 22,940 | 70,090 | 92,439 | 83,831 | 31,956 | 108,496 | 96,327 |
Total | 21,644,659 | 49,209,180 | 44,564,395 | 24,712,266 | 12,734,213 | 51,747,198 | 46,112,592 |
Foreign tourist arrivals increased substantially in Turkey between 2000 and 2005, from 8 million to 25 million, which made Turkey a top-10 destination in the world for foreign visitors. 2005 revenues were US$20.3 billion which also made Turkey one of the top-10 biggest revenue owners in the world. In 2011, Turkey ranked as the 6th most popular tourist destination in the world and 4th in Europe, according to UNWTO World Tourism barometer. [38] See World Tourism rankings. At its height in 2014, Turkey attracted around 42 million foreign tourists, still ranking as the 6th most popular tourist destination in the world. [4] From 2015, tourism to Turkey entered a steep decline. [39] [40] In 2016, only around 30 million people visited Turkey. 2016 is described as the second year of huge losses on both visitor numbers and income, a "year of devastating losses", with Turkish tourism businesses stating that they "cannot remember a worse time in the sector". [5] The number of foreign visitors started recovering in 2017 with 37.9 million visitors being recorded. The recovery was partly due to intense security campaigns and advertising. The number of Russian tourists increased by 444% after the recovery of bilateral relations, resulting in Russia becoming the top tourism market for Turkey once again. [7] [8] Increases were also recorded in the British, Dutch and Belgian markets. [41]
In early 2017, the Turkish government urged Turkish citizens living abroad to take their vacations in Turkey, attempting to revive the struggling tourism sector [42] of an economy that went into contraction from late 2016. [43] After the April 2017 constitutional referendum, another sharp drop in tourist bookings from Germany was recorded. [44] In 2018, however, the German Tourism Industry Association recorded a growth in German tourist bookings for Turkey, with a 70% increase being recorded by the TUI Group alone. [45]
The AKP government has been promoting "halal tourism" for years, [46] politically reaffirming this stance over the course of 2016. [47] In March 2017, a Turkish court banned global travel fare aggregator website Booking.com from offering services to Turkish tourists for lack of a national licence, [48] while the Hoteliers Association of Turkey campaigns for a lifting the ban of the enterprise on which its members relied for up to 90 percent of their turnover. [49] In April 2017, the police department of the prime resort city of Antalya issued a directive banning the consumption of alcohol outside of buildings. [50]
Prostitution is legal and regulated in Turkey. The secularization of Turkish society allowed prostitution to achieve legal status during the early 20th century. Sex tourism has been part of Turkey's tourism industry and has been growing over the decades both for foreigners and locals. Many foreigners come to Turkey to work for local Turks in the prostitution business, while many Turks travel abroad as consumers of sex tourism, mostly to Eastern Europe for the purpose. [51] Anyone who encourages someone to commit prostitution, facilitates it, or mediates or provides a place for prostitution is punished with imprisonment from two months to four years and a judicial fine of up to three thousand days. [52] [53]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of tourists arriving in Turkey declined to around 16 million in 2020. [54] This was the lowest number of tourists in the last decade. [54] The revenue from international travel was reduced to $13.7 billion which only made up 1.91% of the total economy in 2020. [55] [56] In 2021, Turkey's tourism recovered from the pandemic as it contributed $59.3 billion to the GDP, which made up 7.3% of the total economy. [57] [58]
Transport in Turkey is road-dominated and mostly fuelled by diesel. Transport consumes a quarter of energy in Turkey, and is a major source of air pollution in Turkey and greenhouse gas emissions by Turkey. The World Health Organization has called for more active transport such as cycling. As of 2023 health impact assessment is not done in Turkey.
Tourism in the Netherlands is a relatively small sector of the country's economy with a total contribution of 5.4% to gross domestic product and 9.6% to employment. In 2017 the Netherlands was visited by 17 million foreign tourists, making it the 20th most visited country in the world.
Antalya is the fifth-most populous city in Turkey and the capital of Antalya Province. Recognized as the "capital of tourism" in Turkey and a pivotal part of the Turkish Riviera, Antalya sits on Anatolia's southwest coast, flanked by the Taurus Mountains. With over 2.6 million people in its metropolitan area, it is the largest city in Turkey's Mediterranean Region, situated along the Mediterranean Sea.
Alanya, formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city, a municipality and district of Antalya Province, Turkey. It is on the southern coast of Turkey, in the country's Mediterranean Region, 133 kilometres (83 mi) east of the city of Antalya. Its area is 1,577 km2, and its population is 364,180 (2022). The city proper has 189,222 inhabitants (2022).
Tourism is an important sector for the Philippine economy. The travel and tourism industry contributed 8.6% to the country's GDP in 2023; this was lower than the 12.7% recorded in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns. Coastal tourism, encompassing beach and diving activities, constitutes 25% of the Philippines' tourism revenue, serving as its primary income source in the sector. Popular destinations among tourists include Boracay, Palawan, Cebu and Siargao. While the Philippines has encountered political and social challenges that have affected its tourism industry, the country has also taken steps to address these issues. Over the past years, there have been efforts to improve political stability, enhance security measures, and promote social inclusivity, all of which contribute to creating a more favorable environment for tourism, such as the Boracay rehabilitation.
Land ownership in Turkey had been constrained by the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. This was to prevent foreigners from competing with natives for desirable property. This policy was continued when Turkey became independent in the early 20th century. The policy was relaxed during the 21st century.
Tourism is an economic contributor to the Kingdom of Thailand. Estimates of tourism revenue directly contributing to the GDP of 12 trillion baht range from one trillion baht (2013) 2.53 trillion baht (2016), the equivalent of 9% to 17.7% of GDP. When including indirect travel and tourism receipts, the 2014 total is estimated to be the equivalent of 19.3% of Thailand's GDP. According to the secretary-general of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council in 2019, projections indicate the tourism sector will account for 30% of GDP by 2030, up from 20% in 2019, Thailand expects to receive 80 million visitors in 2027.
Tourism is a growing sector and key to the economy of several regions of Brazil. The country had 6.589 million visitors in 2018, ranking in terms of the international tourist arrivals as the second main destination in South America after Argentina and third in Latin America after Mexico and Argentina. Revenues from international tourists reached US$5.8 billion in 2015, continuing a recovery trend from the 2008–2009 economic crisis.
Turkey has a unitary structure in terms of administration and this aspect is one of the most important factors shaping the Turkish public administration. When three powers are taken into account as the main functions of the state, local administrations have little power. Turkey is a highly centralized unitary system, and the provinces are subordinated to the centre. Local administrations were established to provide services in place and the government is represented by the governors and city governors. Besides the governors and the city governors, other senior public officials are also appointed by the central government rather than appointed by mayors or elected by constituents.
The Turkish State Theatres is the official directorate of the national theatre companies in Turkey. It is bound to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and financed by the state to promote performed arts and enhance the public interest they receive. As of 2007, the directorate employs around 2,200 people including more than 700 actors and about the same number of stage technicians.
Tourism in Vietnam is a component of the modern Vietnamese economy. In 2019, Vietnam received 18 million international arrivals, up from 2.1 million in the year 2000. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is following a long-term plan to diversify the tourism industry, which brings foreign exchange into the country.
Women obtained full political participation rights in Turkey, including the right to vote and the right to run for office locally, in 1930, and nationwide in 1934. Article 10 of the Turkish Constitution bans any discrimination, state or private, on the grounds of sex. It is the first country to have a woman as the President of its Constitutional Court. Article 41 of the Turkish Constitution reads that the family is "based on equality between spouses".
Tourism in Armenia has been a key sector to the Armenian economy since the 1990s when tourist numbers exceeded half a million people visiting the country every year. The Armenian Ministry of Economy reports that most international tourists come from Russia, EU states, the United States and Iran. Though relatively small in size, Armenia has four UNESCO world heritage sites.
Borajet was a privately owned Turkish airline based in Yeşilköy, Bakırköy, Istanbul operating domestic and international services. It suspended operations on 24 April 2017.
The 2023 vision was a set of goals released by the administration of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2010 and 2011, to coincide with the centenary of the Republic of Turkey in 2023.
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International tourism is tourism that crosses national borders. Globalisation has made tourism a popular global leisure activity. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes". The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 500,000 people are in flight at any one time.
Overtourism is congestion or overcrowding from an excess of tourists, resulting in conflicts with locals. The World Tourism Organization defines overtourism as "the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively influences perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitor experiences in a negative way". This definition shows how overtourism can be observed both among locals, who view tourism as a disruptive factor that increasingly burdens daily life, as well as visitors, who may regard high numbers of tourists as a nuisance.
Türkiye Culture Route Festival, are cultural festival that has been organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey in various provinces of Turkey since 2021. The festivals are organized with the aim of increasing Turkey's international brand value and making its historical and cultural heritage a center of attraction.