Turkey leads Europe in tourist stays, boosting revenue

Turkey's tourism sector has achieved a significant milestone, attracting 52.8 million foreign visitors last year and generating $64.4 billion in revenue, according to the KPMG Türkiye Tourism Report 2025. However, a key indicator highlighting Turkey's growing appeal is the average length of stay for international tourists.

With an average stay of 10.7 days, Turkey has surpassed major European rivals. For comparison, tourists spend an average of 7.8 days in Italy and France, 6.8 days in Greece, and only 5.3 days in Spain. This extended duration directly impacts revenue, as longer stays mean increased spending on accommodation, dining, transportation, and attractions.

Davut Günaydın, vice-chairman of the Turkish travel agencies association TÜRSAB, emphasized that the sector still holds immense growth potential. He stated that current visitor numbers are not yet satisfactory and expressed confidence that with improved institutional cooperation, Turkey could surpass 100 million tourists annually.

Turkey is actively diversifying its tourism portfolio beyond the traditional 'sun and sea' model. The country is increasingly developing health, culinary, and cultural tourism segments. This strategic expansion of diverse offerings is enhancing Turkey's market transformation and competitiveness within the Mediterranean region, according to the report's authors.

Globally, tourism is recovering robustly, with worldwide tourism revenue increasing by 6% to $1.8 trillion. The report labels 2025 as a "golden year" for the sector, with Europe remaining the largest tourist region, hosting approximately 793 million visitors.

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The current numbers are no longer sufficient for Turkish tourism. I believe that with better cooperation between institutions, the number of tourists will exceed 100 million in the future.