NEWS Tourism        25/07/2020

Number of foreigners visiting Turkey falls 75.1% in first half of 2020

According to figures published by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the number of foreigners visiting Turkey in June 2020 dropped by 96% to 214,768 from 5,318,984 in the same month of the previous year. Despite the opening of some borders and international passenger flights to Turkey from some countries being allowed in June, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the number of foreigners entering Turkey has been drastic.

 

With restrictions on entries across borders and on international passenger flights continuing to be gradually lifted during July, it is hoped that the number of foreign visitors will increase substantially in this month.

 

The total number of foreigners visiting Turkey in the first half of 2020 has fallen 75.1% to 4,507,479. The total number of foreigners visiting Turkey in the year 2019 had increased by 14.1% to 45,058,286 compared with the previous year. This figure was a record and before the coronvirus crisis Turkey’s tourism industry was expected to grow further this year and in the years to come. The pandemic has come as a big shock and it will take several years before Turkey will have recouped its 2019 strong market share. The tourism industry will need to adapt to social distancing requirements which may well continue even if a vaccine is found for coronavirus. The general average cost of a holiday abroad will also likely be more expensive, discouraging many potential tourists. The cost to Turkey’s tourism industry and to the Turkish economy as a whole will be severe this year.   

 


 



Turkey’s net minimum wage has been raised 30% to TL 22,104 (USD 626) as of 01.01.2025       Migration communication helpline 157 available for foreigners in Turkey       Read our homepage articles on developments in the Turkish economy       Turkey’s official annual inflation rate decreases to 42.12% in January 2025       Turkey’s official unemployment rate is 8.5% in December 2024       Read our BUSINESS section for latest sectoral and corporate news       Turkey’s population is 85,664,944 as of 2024 yearend       No. of foreigners visiting Turkey in 2024 increased 7% to 52.6 million       Turkey’s private sector foreign debt is USD 162.6 billion as of yearend 2023       Turkey’s economy grew 5.1% in 2023       FDI to Turkey is USD 11.3 billion in 2024       Turkey’s current account deficit is USD 10 billion in 2024