Türkiye set to welcome record-breaking 6.7M Russian tourists in 2024
Tourists flock to Antalya, Türkiye's second most-visited city, for its beaches and ruins, in Antalya, Türkiye. (Photo via Euronews)
Türkiye expects to attract nearly 6.7 million Russian tourists by the end of 2024, anticipating a return to pre-pandemic tourist flow levels in 2025, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Russia, Tanju Bilgic, announced in Moscow on Nov. 11.
Bilgic reported that approximately 6.3 million Russian tourists visited Türkiye in 2023, marking a 5.7% increase in Russian arrivals. “We’re currently observing a promising rise in the flow of tourists from Russia and expect around 6.7 million Russians to visit Türkiye by the end of the year,” he stated.
Growing demand, expanding tourism opportunities
Looking ahead, Türkiye aims to increase Russian tourist numbers by 6% in 2025, bringing the total to an expected 7.3 million. Ambassador Bilgic emphasized the popularity of Türkiye’s holiday destinations with Russian travelers, highlighting Antalya, Mugla, Istanbul and Bodrum as primary favorites.
“Russians are highly familiar with Türkiye, especially our coastal cities, where affordable accommodations play a significant role in attracting visitors. We aim to not only maintain this appeal but also to introduce Russian tourists to new destinations across the country,” Bilgic said.
Focus on cultural tourism in 2025
Besides its traditional appeal, Türkiye is set to promote cultural tourism in 2025, reflecting a broader strategy to diversify tourist offerings.
“Cultural tourism will be Türkiye’s primary focus for the coming year, providing Russian visitors with more choices and enriching travel experiences across different regions,” Bilgic added.
Russia tops foreign visitor numbers in Türkiye
Russia led foreign visitor numbers to Türkiye in 2023, with Russian arrivals reaching 6.3 million.
This trend follows a peak in 2019 when Russian tourist numbers exceeded 7 million for the first time, a record in the history of bilateral tourism relations between Türkiye and Russia.
With expanded tourism initiatives and continued enthusiasm from Russian travelers, Türkiye is optimistic about achieving another record-breaking year in 2025.
