Türkiye Reached Record-Breaking Tourism Levels in 2023 – VisaGuide.News
As one of the world’s major markets and most popular destinations, Türkiye broke all records last year in its Travel and Tourism sector.
The four main metrics included in this sector, including economic growth, spending by foreign and domestic travelers and the contribution to creating jobs, showed that 2023 exceeded all previous figures, VisaGuide.World reports.
The sector also supported more than 3.2MN jobs, representing one in 10 jobs across the country, and more than 18 percent above the 2019 high point. International and domestic visitor spending also exceeded their previous records, reaching TRY 1.68TN and TRY 761.3BN respectively.
Türkiye Expects to Set New Records This Year, Following Success of 2023
According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), international visitor spending has surpassed its 2019 record last year by almost 36 percent and domestic visitor spending broke its previous record, from 2018, by nearly 24 percent.
In this regard, it also revealed that last year the sector contributed TRY 3.11TN to the economy, thus marking 12 percent of the total GDP. The figure represents an increase of almost 30 percent from the previous peak in 2019.
WTTC forecasts that the record-breaking trend will continue this year as the GDP contribution is set to reach almost 12.5 percent of the Türkiye’s economy.
Jobs supported by Travel and Tourism are projected to surpass 3.3 million while spending from international and domestic visitors is also anticipated to set new records.
The same authority also pointed out that spending from international visitors could reach more than TRY 1.7TN next year, and spending from domestic visitors could reach almost TRY 799BN.
In a Bid to Increase Visitor Spending, Türkiye Plans to Implement Nomadic Visas & Extended Stays
As a result, Türkiye’s Government is considering introducing nomad visas to expand its potential for extended stays and increase visitor spending.
As the world’s fifth most popular destination, Travel and Tourism in Türkiye is more than just a sector, it’s an integral part of the nation’s economy, fuelling growth, investment, and new jobs.
WTTC further predicts that by 2034, the sector is expected to contribute more than TRY 4TN to the economy annually, with jobs projected to reach almost 3.75 million.
Moreover, in the first four months of 2024, Istanbul set a record high by welcoming 5.2 million foreign visitors.
Based on data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul’s unique allure has resulted in a notable ten percent increase in visitors during January-April 2024 compared to last year.
