Türkiye Sees 2.6% Rise in Foreign Tourist Arrivals in July

Istanbul, The Gulf Observer: Foreign tourist arrivals in Türkiye increased by 2.6 percent year-on-year to 7.3 million in July, according to official data released by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The data, published on Friday, also revealed that between January and July, the total number of foreign visitors rose by 8.27 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 28.98 million.

When including the 4.49 million Turkish citizens returning from abroad, the total number of visitors to Türkiye reached 33.47 million during this period.

The Mediterranean resort city of Antalya emerged as the most popular destination, attracting 2.6 million foreign visitors. Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city, followed closely with 1.9 million visitors in July. The northwestern province of Edirne, which shares borders with Bulgaria and Greece, welcomed 803,351 foreign tourists.

In terms of nationality, Germans topped the list with over 1 million visitors, representing a 10 percent increase from the previous year. Russians were the second-largest group, with 922,294 visitors in July, marking a 4.2 percent annual increase. Britons and Poles followed, with 660,906 and 319,552 visitors, respectively.

The consistent growth in foreign tourist arrivals highlights Türkiye’s ongoing appeal as a top travel destination, particularly in the summer months.