By Alimat Aliyeva

Last year, Turkiye earned a record $61.1 billion in the tourism sector, marking a significant achievement for the country, Azernews reports.

According to calculations by the Turkish Statistical Institute, the country’s tourism income in 2024 increased by 8.3% compared to the previous year.

The report reveals that $60.5 billion of this income came from tourists, while $606.4 million was generated from transfer trips. Notably, 64.9% of visitors came to Turkiye for tourism, sports, and cultural events, while 17% were Turkish citizens residing abroad.

It’s also important to note that the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism had set an ambitious goal to attract 60 million tourists by 2024 and generate $60 billion in tourism revenue. However, midway through the year, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy revised the target, increasing the number of tourists to 61 million. The results reported today exceeded these expectations, highlighting the country’s growing appeal as a global tourist destination.

This surge in tourism revenue comes at a time when Turkiye has made significant investments in infrastructure, including the expansion of airports, luxury hotels, and improved transport networks, all contributing to a more accessible and attractive destination for international visitors.