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Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has reassured the international community that Türkiye remains a welcoming destination for all visitors, regardless of political tensions, as the country continues to face cancellations from Indian tourists in the wake of the recent India–Pakistan conflict.
“Everyone has a place here. We show our hospitality to everyone who visits,” Minister Ersoy told a group of digital media representatives, including Türkiye daily and Türkiye Today Editor-in-Chief Osman Bahattin Dirlik, during a press briefing held at the newly reopened Manisa Museum. The minister was also accompanied by his chief advisor, Tayfun Topal.
Ersoy's remarks came as part of a broader discussion during the Türkiye Culture Route Festival, where he outlined the country's tourism strategy, cultural initiatives, and ongoing international promotional efforts.
Addressing concerns over the impact of the India–Pakistan dispute on Türkiye's tourism sector, the minister emphasized the importance of maintaining cultural inclusivity and crisis resilience.
Tensions between India and Pakistan recently escalated following Türkiye's vocal expressions of solidarity with Islamabad. In response, many Indian tourists began canceling their planned trips to Türkiye, while several Indian travel agencies halted promotional campaigns and bookings. The cancellations have raised concerns within Türkiye's tourism sector, especially given India's growing outbound tourism market.
Despite these developments, Minister Ersoy downplayed any immediate risks. “Look at our neighbors in the Middle East,” he said. “We are affected by every conflict, every disruption in the region—and yet we continue to break new tourism records year after year.”
Türkiye’s ability to weather such geopolitical turbulence is rooted in a strategic transformation that began in 2018, according to the minister. The shift in focus from simply increasing tourist numbers to maximizing per capita revenue has paid off, Ersoy explained.
“The average income per tourist rose from $83 to $108 last year. This year, our target is $117,” he noted.
To support this transition, the government established the Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) in 2019. The agency conducts targeted international marketing campaigns and has helped position Türkiye as one of the world’s most visible and effective tourism brands.
Beyond traditional tourism, Türkiye is expanding its offerings in health tourism and cultural heritage. Ersoy highlighted new digital measures in development, including a system that will allow foreign health tourists to be monitored using a code-based platform.
“The Ministry of Health will track each case as if the tourist were a citizen,” he said, adding that standardization and regulation will be key to ensuring service quality and sustainable revenues.
Türkiye is also investing heavily in culture-based tourism. The Türkiye Culture Route Festival, which began in Beyoglu in 2021, has now expanded to 20 cities and over 6,800 events in 2025 alone, featuring nearly 45,000 artists.
Ersoy emphasized that the selection of festival locations is data-driven, factoring in population density and regional potential, and that the project now plays a vital role in activating local economies.
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