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Istanbul was the leading destination in Turkey based on the volume of international tourist arrivals in 2023 and 2024. Overall, inbound travelers in that city totaled over **** million in 2024, more than in the previous year. Antalya was the second-leading tourist destination, with around **** million inbound arrivals.

Istanbul does not lose its popularity

Istanbul has been an attractive destination with plenty of sights, including mosques, churches, museums, palaces, and the Bosphorus Strait, which connects two large continents, Europe and Asia. This city, which has hosted different civilizations and cultures for centuries, has welcomed millions of foreign and local visitors for years. The number of foreign tourist arrivals in the largest city in Turkey has increased since 2020, when it dropped due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In line with the high inflation in the country, accommodation prices in Istanbul have generally been increasing. As of October 2023, the average cost for an overnight stay in the city was *** euros.

Domestic tourism is falling back

Although international tourism in Turkey has been recovering from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its limitations, domestic tourism has fallen behind. Factors such as high inflation, price increases, and the soaring cost of living in the country have also affected local tourism. In 2023, the number of domestic trips was about ** percent less compared to the peak figures in 2018. In relation to this, the number of overnight stays of domestic travelers has been generally following a negative trend in the last few years. Local tourists recorded roughly *** million nights at accommodations in 2023, still below the pre-pandemic levels.