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Turkey generated a record $51.3 billion (approximately £38.2 billion) in tourism revenue between January and September 2026, up 2.4% on the same period in 2025. The UK remained Turkey’s third-largest source market, with around 3.2 million visitors.
The record came despite regional conflicts, airspace restrictions and rising energy and airfare costs affecting international travel. Turkey welcomed 49.1 million visitors in the first nine months, although foreign arrivals fell compared with the previous year.
Figures released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) show that third-quarter tourism revenue, covering July to September, rose 5% year on year to $25.5 billion (approximately £19 billion). Both the quarterly and nine-month figures were the highest in the country’s history.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey’s top three source markets in the first nine months of 2026 were:
Russia: 5.70 million visitors
Germany: 5.17 million visitors
United Kingdom: 3.2 million visitors
British travellers remain one of Turkey’s most important markets, although UK demand has softened compared with recent years:
Arrivals from the UK were down 8.2% in January–May 2026.
Britain sent 3.7 million visitors in the first nine months of 2024, compared with 3.2 million in the same period this year.
Turkey’s record revenue came alongside a fall in foreign visitor arrivals. The 49.1 million total visitors between January and September includes Turkish citizens living abroad.
Foreign visitor arrivals fell by 1.52% to 40.94 million compared with the same period in 2025. However, visitors stayed slightly longer and spent more per night, which pushed revenue higher.
Key spending figures for January to September:
Average length of stay: up 0.3% year on year to 10.34 nights.
Average spending per night: up 4.6% to $107.70 (approximately £80.20) across all visitors.
Foreign visitors: spent an average of $119.90 (approximately £89.30) per night.
Turkish citizens living abroad: spent an average of $72.20 (approximately £53.80) per night.
Higher average spending more than offset the fall in foreign arrivals, allowing Turkey to achieve record tourism revenue.
Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described Turkey as an “island of stability” amid international travel disruption.
He said regional conflicts, airspace restrictions and rising energy and airfare costs had affected travel decisions, airline capacity and tour operator programmes. Turkey had earlier lowered its 2026 tourism revenue target from $68 billion to $65 billion. Ersoy said the country is now on track to exceed it.
Ersoy also highlighted changes introduced since 2018 to make the industry more resilient to external shocks. These include establishing the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), which runs the Go Türkiye destination campaign. They also include expanding international marketing and diversifying the country’s tourism offering.
The agency has made destination promotion more continuous and systematic, helping Turkey stay visible in both established and emerging markets. Ersoy said the record third-quarter and nine-month revenues showed the value of this approach.
Turkey plans to maintain its position in established source markets while increasing promotional activity in countries with further growth potential.
According to Ersoy, the country will intensify its efforts in the Americas, Canada, East Asia, Africa and Oceania.
The strategy aims to attract visitors from a wider range of countries and broaden Turkey's international tourism base. Diversifying source markets could also help the industry manage future disruptions affecting particular regions or international flight routes.
The figures confirm Turkey’s continued importance to the UK holiday market. With around 3.2 million British visitors in the first nine months of 2026, it remains one of the leading international destinations for UK travellers.
However, rising average spending is worth bearing in mind when planning a holiday. Compare flight and accommodation prices across different dates, particularly during school holidays and the busy summer season.
Before travelling, check the latest GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Turkey for current entry requirements and safety guidance.
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All sterling equivalents are approximate conversions from US dollar figures. Tourism revenue and visitor statistics cover January to September 2026.
