Türkiye's tourism soars as foreign arrivals hit new heights in 2024

Türkiye continues to strengthen its tourism sector, drawing an increasing number of international visitors each year.

The country welcomed 35.8 million foreign tourists in the first eight months of 2024, marking a 7.1 percent increase compared to the same period last year, the Culture and Tourism Ministry reported on Tuesday.

Russians topped the list of visitors with 4.55 million arrivals from January to August, followed closely by 4.38 million tourists from Germany and 3.1 million from the UK.

Istanbul, Türkiye's largest city and a major tourist destination, received 34.3 percent of all foreign visitors, totaling nearly 12.27 million.

The Mediterranean resort city of Antalya followed, attracting 11 million foreign tourists, while Edirne, located in northwestern Türkiye near the borders of Bulgaria and Greece, welcomed 3.36 million visitors.

In August alone, the number of foreign tourists visiting Türkiye reached 6.82 million, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 2.47 percent.

In 2023, Türkiye recorded 49.2 million tourist arrivals, up from 44.5 million in 2022, and is on track to break last year's record by the end of 2024.