Türkiye's tourism income climbs to record $65.2 billion in 2025

Türkiye's tourism industry broke new ground in 2025, generating a record $65.23 billion in income from international visitors, according to official data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). The total revenue marked a 6.8% increase from the previous year, exceeding government economic targets. The number of visitors to the country also rose, reaching nearly 63.92 million, a 2.7% annual growth, demonstrating the sector's robust and expanding appeal on the global stage.

Rising visitor spending and economic impact

A key indicator of the sector's health is the notable rise in average spending per visitor, which climbed 3.7% to reach $1,008 in 2025, with daily spending averaging $100. Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek highlighted this achievement, attributing it to policies aimed at extending tourism across all seasons and diversifying geographic offerings. "Thanks to our policies aimed at spreading tourism across all four seasons and different areas, average spending per person rose above $1,000," Şimşek stated, noting that the total revenue surpassed the medium-term economic program target.

Breakdown of travel purposes and expenditures

The data reveals that the majority of visitors, 67.7%, came to Türkiye for travel, entertainment, and sportive or cultural activities. Visiting relatives and friends was the second most common purpose at 19.6%, followed by shopping at 5.9%. In terms of spending categories, package tours constituted the largest share of tourism income at 28.2%, followed by food and beverage at 21.1%, and international transportation at 12.8%. This breakdown underscores the broad economic impact of tourism, benefiting a wide range of service sectors from hospitality to retail and transport.

Growth in outbound travel and sector outlook

The report also captured a parallel trend of growing outbound travel by Turkish citizens. Türkiye's tourism expenditures, representing money spent abroad by its residents, increased by 24% in 2025 to $9.6 billion. The number of Turkish citizens traveling internationally grew by 4.4% to 11.9 million. This dual growth—both in inbound revenue and outbound travel—paints a picture of a vibrant national travel economy and a population with increasing disposable income for leisure, further integrating Türkiye into the global tourism ecosystem.