Istanbul:Trkiye's tourism industry has achieved a significant milestone, with revenue reaching a record $51.28 billion in the first nine months of 2026, marking a 2.4% increase from the previous year. This was announced by Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy during a news conference at the Ataturk Cultural Center in Istanbul.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the minister highlighted the performance of the tourism sector for the third quarter and the January-September period. Trkiye welcomed 49.13 million visitors during this time, with 23.37 million arriving in the third quarter alone. Russia, Germany, and the UK were the top source markets, contributing 5.7 million, 5.17 million, and 3.2 million visitors respectively.

Visitors to Trkiye stayed an average of 10.34 nights in the first nine months, increasing to 10.69 nights during the third quarter. Average spending per night rose by 4.6% year-on-year, reaching $107.70. Foreign tourists spent an average of $119.90 per night, while expatriate citizens spent $72.20.

Minister Ersoy noted challenges such as regional conflicts, airspace restrictions, and rising energy prices that have impacted aviation costs and international travel demand. Despite these obstacles, he emphasized Trkiye's stability and strategic promotional efforts, which include campaigns that generated 7.1 billion digital impressions worldwide.

The presentation also highlighted the success of promotional miniseries, which reached 10.5 billion views globally, showcasing destinations like Cappadocia, Bodrum, and Izmir. Future plans involve expanding tourism demand across all provinces and throughout the year, as well as enhancing data and artificial intelligence applications to better understand market trends.

Third-quarter revenue saw a 5% year-on-year increase, totaling $25.53 billion, contributing to the record-breaking figures for both the quarter and the nine-month period.