Turkey's foreign visitor numbers dip slightly in first eight months of 2026
Turkey recorded 34.83 million foreign arrivals from January to August, a 1.84 % drop from the previous year, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.
Data released by Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry show that 34.83 million international tourists visited the country between January and August, marking a 1.84 % decrease compared with the same period last year. Russia stayed the leading source market with 4.72 million arrivals, while Germany and the United Kingdom contributed 4.39 million and 2.71 million visitors respectively. Visits from Gulf nations dropped markedly, with Kuwait experiencing a 43.5 % fall and Saudi Arabia an 11.1 % decline.
Istanbul attracted the most foreign guests, accounting for 35.82 % of total arrivals, and Antalya followed as the second-most visited province. Other popular destinations included Edirne, Muğla and İzmir, which together completed the top five spots for foreign tourists.
Why it matters
Tourism is a key driver of Turkey's economy, and shifts in visitor numbers affect revenue and employment.
How this story developed
- Sep 14 Türk Telekom to Provide Full Tech Infrastructure for Turkey's COP31 Climate Summit
- Sep 16 Trading on the Istanbul Stock Exchange was temporarily halted Wednesday afternoon after the BIST 100 index fell sharply, following reports that fund manager Pusula Portfoy struggled to return money to investors.
- Sep 21 Courts imposed travel bans and asset freezes on the suspects.
- Sep 25 The liquidation deadline for the 131 funds was extended to six months.
- Sep 27 Turkey’s emissions grew 4.2 % in 2025, the fastest among major polluters.
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