Minister Ersoy Speaks at the TÜROB General Assembly

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy attended the 25th Ordinary General Assembly Meeting of the Association of Turkish Hoteliers (TÜROB) and made important statements regarding the tourism sector. Minister Ersoy said, "Our main goal is to spread tourism across all 81 provinces and throughout all 12 months of the year; by increasing product diversity, to turn Türkiye into a destination that can be experienced in all four seasons and into a center of attraction on a global scale." 

Beginning his speech by evaluating the 2024 tourism data, Minister Ersoy said, "2024 was a year of records for both our country and global tourism. We closed the year above our targets, with 62.3 million visitors and 61.1 billion dollars in revenue. Between 2017 and 2024, we achieved a 64% increase in the number of tourists and a 95.5% increase in revenue. This means we nearly doubled the tourism revenue of 2017. These figures are strong proof that we attach importance not only to quantity but also to quality."

"Türkiye Became the 4th Most Visited Country in the World"

Recalling that, according to United Nations World Tourism Organization data, Türkiye was the world's 7th most visited country in 2017, Minister Ersoy stated, "We achieved great success by rising to 5th place in 2023 and to 4th place in 2024. Our target for 2025 is 65 million tourists and 64 billion dollars in revenue."

"We Are Making Tourism Resilient to Crises"

Touching on the impact on tourism of the earthquake that occurred in Istanbul on April 23, Minister Ersoy said, "Türkiye is located in a geopolitically dynamic and sensitive geography. We saw the negative effects of the earthquake. However, thanks to our sustainable tourism policies, we are able to respond quickly and effectively to crises."

"We Are Diversifying Tourism Products in Every Area"

Minister Ersoy emphasized that they are carrying out multifaceted efforts in areas such as gastronomy, health, culture, cycling, faith, and MICE (congress) tourism in order to spread tourism throughout the year and across the country.

"We are conducting special promotional campaigns to make our 30 faith routes more visible. We have created 20 thematic routes such as the Troy Cycling and Walking Route, the Gallipoli Diving Experience, and the Lycian Way. At the same time, we are increasing the number of international congresses and expanding the number of our archaeological centers of attraction. In this context, we have entered a new era in archaeology with our 'Legacy for the Future' project. We are continuing excavation and restoration work throughout all 12 months of the year."

"A New Era in Digital Promotion and Cultural Events"

Stating that they have also taken important steps in the field of digital promotion, Minister Ersoy said that the Türkiye Cultural Route Festival, a member of the European Festivals Association, will be held in 20 cities in 2025. Noting that the festival, which began on April 5 in Adana and will end on November 10 in Antalya, will last 219 days, Ersoy said, "In this respect, it has the distinction of being the world's longest-running culture and arts festival." 

He concluded his speech with the words, "I believe that 2025 will be a year in which we break new records in tourism and add new successes on top of our achievements."