Turkey Expects $65 Billion in Tourism Revenue for 2026 Despite Gulf War

Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that Turkey achieved tourism revenues of $51.278 billion in the first nine months of 2026, a 2.4% increase compared to the same period last year, and expects to surpass $65 billion by year-end.

Ersoy said in remarks made during the Antalya Cultural Festival to digital media representatives that the third quarter alone recorded revenues of $25.526 billion, representing a 5% increase over the third quarter of 2025.

The minister noted that the war that erupted in the Gulf region at the end of February 2026 affected tourism movement, leading to airport closures and airspace restrictions, as well as higher air travel costs due to rising energy prices. He added that the second quarter was more significantly affected, but the sector showed rapid recovery.

Ersoy revealed that the average nightly spending of foreign visitors reached $119.9 during the first nine months, while the average nightly spending for all visitors rose 4.6% to reach $107.7. The average length of stay was 10.34 nights.

On digital marketing, the minister reported that digital campaigns implemented by Turkey's tourism promotion and development agency reached 7.1 billion views in 74 countries during the current year, while ten short series produced in 2025 and 2026 combined achieved 10.5 billion views.

On the sidelines of tourism remarks, Ersoy noted that Turkey has become an international model in recovering cultural heritage transferred abroad, announcing that new recovered artifacts will be announced soon.