A Highly Significant, Historic and Strategic Step for Turkey-China Tourism Relations

Eresin commented on the visa exemption for Chinese citizens:

'A highly significant, historic and strategic step for Turkey-China tourism relations'

Müberra Eresin, President of the Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB), said that the decision to grant a visa exemption to Chinese citizens is an extremely significant, historic and strategic step for Turkey-China tourism relations. In a statement made following the publication of the decision regarding the visa exemption for Chinese citizens in the Official Gazette dated 31 December 2025, Eresin noted that, as TÜROB, they regard the development of tourism relations between China and Türkiye as a strategic priority.

Eresin expressed the following views: 

"We see this decision as a highly important step for the tourism sector for 2026. With its rapidly growing middle class, increasing tendency toward overseas travel and cultural affinity, China is an extremely important market with great potential for Turkish tourism. The interest of Chinese visitors in Türkiye has shown a steady increase in recent years. Our country, which welcomed 430,000 Chinese tourists in 2019, returned to the level of 250,000 visitors in 2023 following the temporary decline experienced during the pandemic. It is gratifying that this number rose to 410,000 at the end of 2024. We aim to reach the target of 500,000 Chinese visitors by the end of 2025, and in the medium term, to host 1 million Chinese tourists annually in Türkiye.

We extend our thanks to our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and to Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, who has carried out the process with great dedication from the very beginning, for the implementation of the visa exemption.

 The high-level contacts held between our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping are of great importance in terms of strengthening the friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries. This strong political will is paving the way for concrete and lasting gains in the tourism sector as well as in the economic and cultural spheres.

In this context, the publication of the visa exemption decision for Chinese citizens in the Official Gazette and its entry into force on 2 January has been an extremely significant, historic and strategic step for Turkey-China tourism relations. The implementation of this regulation, which we have long voiced as a sector, will directly and powerfully increase tourism mobility between the two countries by facilitating travel planning.

Thanks to the visa exemption, we expect a marked increase, particularly in the number of independently traveling Chinese tourists and in the level of per-capita spending. We believe that this decision will significantly enhance Türkiye's competitiveness in the Chinese market and make a strong contribution to our goal of spreading tourism across all 12 months.

The increase observed in recent years in Turkish citizens' tourism demand for China also shows that mutual tourism mobility is developing in a balanced manner. This mutual flow contributes to the further strengthening of cultural and economic ties between the two countries.

The steps taken in the field of air transportation support this process. Reciprocal flight frequencies have been increased by Turkish Airlines and Chinese airlines, and the weekly passenger aircraft flight entitlement has been raised from 21 to 49. Evaluating the increased flight capacity with a tourism focus, together with the visa exemption, will rapidly increase the number of Chinese visitors coming to our country.

As TÜROB, we are in close cooperation with all stakeholders in the sector so that our Chinese guests can feel safe and at home in Türkiye. Our efforts to expand service standards appropriate to Chinese culture, to provide language support, to train staff and to diversify tourism products continue with determination.

We will continue to fulfill all the responsibilities that fall to us in order to make Türkiye a more attractive, accessible and sustainable destination for the Chinese market. We wholeheartedly believe that a strong tourism partnership based on mutual trust, understanding and a shared vision will provide lasting benefits for the economies and peoples of both countries."