The number of foreign tourists arriving in Turkey increased by 26.06 percent year on year in March, according to data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Wednesday. The growth took the monthly visitor count to 1.84 million.
The data, based on information accessed from the General Directorate of Security, also showed a 22.5 percent increase in the first quarter, with 4.2 million tourists visiting the country during this time compared to 3.4 million in the first quarter of last year.
The data show that 40,000 tourists out of the 1.8 million in March were day visitors, while most entries were made through gates in İstanbul, Antalya, Edirne, Artvin and İzmir in that order.
Unsurprisingly Germany continues to dominate the country of origin figures with a share of 16.6 percent in March. However, the 2nd and 3rd places for Iran and Georgia, followed by Syria, Bulgaria, Russia, England, Greece, Azerbaijan and France to fill the top 10 is further proof of Turkey’s growing popularity on the world stage. In previous years the list of top countries of origin has been much more mainstream with the UK increasingly rising into 2nd spot on most occasions.
Continued growth in tourism can only be good news for Turkey as it pushes on as the fastest growing economy in Europe. It is especially good now that it is not the only string to the Turkish property bow.
During the overseas property boom Turkey property was a fringe purchase favoured by lifestyle buyers who had fallen in love with the country while on holiday. These people still buy but Turkey is also attracting increasing attention as a solid investment choice, with cities like Istanbul and Izmir scoring of the charts in terms of low prices and rising demand well above supply as the population and economies grow at a searing pace.
