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Turkish tourists spent less on gifts and souvenirs during trips abroad in the first half of 2026, even as their combined spending on accommodation and dining outside the country rose, according to data from TurkStat, Türkiye's statistical authority.
Turkish travelers brought back $361.98 million (€313.8 million) worth of gifts and souvenirs between January and June, an 8.5 percent decline from $395.45 million (€342.9 million) in the same period a year earlier, according to figures compiled from TurkStat data.
Spending on carpets and kilims, tracked as a separate category from general souvenirs, dropped more steeply, falling to $2.21 million (€1.9 million) from $27.74 million (€24.1 million) in the first half of 2025.
The decline in gift-related spending came as Turkish citizens' total tourism expenditure abroad — a measure covering all spending by residents traveling outside Türkiye — edged down 0.4 percent year-on-year to $5.19 billion (€4.50 billion), compared with $5.21 billion (€4.52 billion) in the first half of last year.
Accommodation and dining accounted for the largest share of spending among Turkish tourists abroad. Overseas lodging costs rose to $1.003 billion (€869.7 million), up from $904.49 million (€784.2 million) a year earlier.
Spending on food and beverages abroad increased to $1.06 billion (€914.7 million) from $949.70 million (€823.4 million) over the same period.
Spending in categories outside accommodation, food and gifts fell to $440.54 million (€381.9 million) from $476.06 million (€412.7 million).
Türkiye's tourism income — revenue generated from foreign visitors to the country, distinct from residents' spending abroad — reached $25.75 billion (€22.32 billion) in the first half of the year, according to the same data set.
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