Turkey recorded 25.8 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2026, which allowed it to sustain tourism revenues of 25.8 billion dollars (around 22.4 billion euros) and practically repeat the results of the previous year, despite the geopolitical tension in the Middle East, as detailed by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.
During the presentation of the sector's balance, the Turkish official noted that international uncertainty and conflicts in neighboring countries pressured demand downward in the first six months of the year.
Although the country's airspace and its airports operated normally, the closure of routes in neighboring states resulted in a slight decline compared to the 26.4 million travelers recorded between January and June 2025.
However, Ersoy emphasized that the second half of the year has started with favorable expectations and that they are confident in a significant improvement in the coming months supported by their strategic initiatives.
The drop in the volume of arrivals was compensated by greater profitability of trips. The average duration of stays in Turkey increased by 0.5%, reaching 10.01 nights, and the average spending per night grew by 2.6%, reaching 109 dollars (94.6 euros).
By origin of the visitors, the Russian Federation continued to lead the ranking with 2.65 million tourists, ahead of Germany, with 2.44 million, and the United Kingdom, with 1.58 million.
Regarding Spain, the market recorded positive behavior and clear expansion in the first half of 2026. A total of 188,122 Spanish travelers traveled to Turkey between January and June, representing an increase of 4.40% compared to the same period of the previous year.