Records could be broken in Türkiye’s Travel & Tourism sector in 2025, if new World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) predictions for the Anatolian republic are correct, with a rise in tourist spending and a solid contribution to national GDP expected.
The optimism comes despite a 5% drop in international visitor spending in 2024, despite foreign visitor numbers increasing by 6.95%, But despite that drop, tourism revenues overall rocketed by 8.3% year-over-year, belying conventional wisdom that foreign guests spend more, according to statistics from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). The performance of ₺2.19 trillion (around €50.2 billion) still surpassed previous records and the medium-term national economic target.
€4.5 billion surge predicted
Now estimates for 2025 project that Travel and Tourism could account for ₺5.2TN (€119 billion) of Turkish receipts, or 12% of the country’s GDP over the period. That’s a surge of ₺200BN (€4.5 billion) year-on-year.
Visitor spending, both by domestic and foreign guests, is anticipated to increase to ₺2.6TN overall, the report says, with spending by intra- Türkiye travellers expected to comprise over half of that (₺1.4 BN). What’s more, in 2025, 3.3 million people across the territory will be employed in the segment, roughly stable compared to 2024, at around 10% of all jobs.
In the first three months of 2025, Türkiye welcomed 8.9 million tourists, generating a record-breaking $9.5 billion in tourism revenue. The year-end target is 65 million visitors. In 2024, Türkiye ranked as the 6th most visited country in the world, attracting 51.2 million… pic.twitter.com/wSH7zHhl9E
— 🇹🇷 Umut Acar (@AcarUmut) April 30, 2025
Sector resilient and “world class”
The positive numbers are in line with longer-term industry forecasts for growth. International visitor spending and domestic tourism are set to continue their upward trajectory, to reach ₺3.4TN and ₺1.7TN respectively by 2035. Travel & Tourism’s economic contribution is expected to hit a total of ₺7TN by then, almost 13% of GDP, helping to generate over half a million new posts over the decade to represent 3.8 million jobs.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, highlighted the sector’s resilience and fit with current travel consumer trends. “As travellers seek authentic, enriching experiences, Türkiye is delivering with open arms, offering travellers a world-class experience,” she said in a statement.
TURKISH DELIGHT 💹 — Türkiye's #tourism sector can't seem to stop breaking records with $9.45 billion in Q1 '25 revenue! The inspiring #Muslim country is currently the world's 5th MOST VISITED and is on track to overtake Italy to claim #4 by 2030. 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/W8XqxgiMeC
— Turkish Century (@TurkishCentury) April 30, 2025
Growth not guaranteed
But she issued a reminder that growth is never a given. To avoid further falls in spending like those seen in 2024, Türkiye will have to adapt and invest. Speaking to Andalou Agency (AA), she explained: “Türkiye’s vision has been important in driving its growth in tourism, and it’s been very important that Türkiye has put itself on the map as a tourist destination. Turkish Airlines flies to more destinations than any other airline in the world, and it means that Türkiye is very well connected. And connectivity is very important.”
🇹🇷 Türkiye’s Tourism Boom Is Breaking Records
— WTTC (@WTTC) April 29, 2025
✈️ ₺2.6TN from international visitors
🏞️ ₺1.4TN from domestic travel
👥 3.3M+ jobs supported
New WTTC data shows the sector will hit ₺5.2TN in 2025, making up 12% of GDP 👉 https://t.co/fUm4pXmAm1#Türkiye #Tourism #WTTC pic.twitter.com/Mt667ZxLxF
Simpson also attributed the sectors success to the fact it is perceived “a safe country; the travellers need to feel very safe, and Türkiye is a good and safe country to visit,” she went on. “Then you have natural beauty – Türkiye is very beautiful. The Antalya coast is especially really spectacular. And the history, and all the antiquities. It really is where the west meets the east.” In a post on X meanwhile, WTTC described Türkiye’s progress as a “ boom” that is “breaking records.”
