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Türkiye's tourism revenue fell 2.6% year over year to $15.9 billion in the second quarter of 2026 as the Middle East conflict weighed on travel demand and visitor numbers dropped, according to official data.
The number of visitors leaving Türkiye declined 5.1% from a year earlier to 15.6 million during the April-June period. Citizens residing abroad accounted for 16.2% of total visitors, or 2.5 million people.
Visitors who stayed overnight spent an average of $113 per night, while Turkish citizens living abroad spent an average of $79 per night, the figures showed.
Package tour spending within Türkiye fell 5.5% year over year in the second quarter, while international transportation spending dropped 6.1%. Accommodation spending rose 11.7%, and food and beverage spending increased 5.2%.
While inbound tourism weakened, Turkish spending on overseas travel rose 7.4% year over year to $3 billion, as outbound trips climbed 16.5% to 3.4 million and average spending reached $863 per traveler.
Despite the weaker second quarter, Türkiye's tourism revenue in the first six months of 2026 edged down just 0.1% from a year earlier to $25.75 billion, thanks to resilient performance in the first quarter. During the January-June period, the number of visitors declined 2.7% to 24.8 million.
Presenting the figures, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said regional developments had fueled security concerns over travel to Türkiye, but those worries have largely eased through intensive promotional campaigns and diplomatic efforts.
He added that the positive impact is expected to start showing up in tourism data from the third quarter of 2026, while highlighting the country's tourism infrastructure, diverse offerings and the sector's crisis management experience.
Ersoy also highlighted government support for the industry, including a ₺60 billion ($1.3 billion) Tourism Support Package and a ₺6 billion premium support program, bringing the total value of announced tourism support measures to ₺66 billion. He added that the accommodation tax rate has been reduced to 1% through the end of 2026.
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