Tourist numbers advancing rapidly toward 40 million...

Turkey continues to break records of recent years in tourism. The number of tourists is advancing rapidly toward 40 million.

According to border entry-exit statistics published by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey hosted approximately 32 million foreign visitors in the first three quarters of the year. Including citizens residing abroad, the total tourist figures reached 37 million in the January-September 2018 period, an increase of 21.35 percent.

According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), tourism revenue reached 22.9 billion dollars in the first 9 months, an increase of 13.9 percent. Per capita spending stood at 638 dollars.

Russian Tourists Once Again Top the List

According to the Ministry's data for the first 9 months, tourism saw a 22.08 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

In the first 9 months, the largest number of visitors came from the Russian Federation, with an increase of 16.09 percent and 5,120,599 visitors, while Germany ranked second with an increase of 11.21 percent and 3,566,020 visitors, and the United Kingdom ranked third with an increase of 5.95 percent and 1,894,087 visitors. The United Kingdom was followed by Bulgaria and Iran respectively.

Nearly 5 Million Tourists in September

The number of foreigners who visited Turkey this past September again rose by 17.57 percent compared to the same period last year, with 4,792,818 foreign visitors hosted.

In September, Russia once again ranked first with an increase of 19.49 percent and 934,087 visitors, while Germany ranked second with an increase of 12.30 percent and 589,754 visitors, and the United Kingdom ranked third with an increase of 6.63 percent and 317,748 visitors. In the September 2018 period, after the United Kingdom, the most tourists came from Bulgaria and Georgia.

In the first three quarters of the year, tourists made up 99.13 percent of incoming foreigners, while in the September 2018 period they made up 98.91 percent.

The Most Visitors to Antalya

Of the foreign visitors who came to Turkey in the January-September 2018 period, 33.47 percent entered through Antalya, while 31.78 percent entered through Istanbul, 9.14 percent through Edirne, 7.68 percent through Muğla and 5.96 percent through Artvin.

This past September, the ranking again remained unchanged; 1,899,103 visitors entered through Antalya, 1,235,301 visitors through Istanbul, 458,841 visitors through Muğla, 392,984 visitors through Edirne and 236,321 visitors through Artvin.