The European tourism market, which had slowed down during the UEFA European Football Championship (EURO 2024), has regained momentum following the conclusion of the event.
As of July 17, Antalya, renowned for its sea, sand, sun, safe and healthy tourism, historical and natural beauty, has welcomed over 7.5 million tourists, marking a 12% increase compared to the same period last year. Russia leads as the top country sending tourists, followed by Germany, the UK, and Poland.
The European market experienced a lull due to EURO 2024 held from June 14 to July 14 in Germany but has picked up again post-championship.
Antalya aims to exceed its year-end target of 17 million tourists, potentially setting a new record with 18 million visitors.
Kaan Kavaloğlu, President of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association, told AA that after a busy Eid al-Adha holiday, the impact of EURO 2024 caused a brief slowdown. He noted, “During that period, there was a slowdown in arrivals from Germany. However, as of the second week of July, our occupancy rates have surpassed 90%. We are now experiencing a high season in Antalya, with the European market reviving.”
Antalya Anticipates 1 Million Tourists from the Turkish Diaspora
Kavaloğlu highlighted that they managed to mitigate the impact of the bankruptcy of FTI, Europe’s third-largest tour operator based in Munich. He stated that tourists with reservations were rerouted through other operators to Turkey, ensuring a smooth return for guests who completed their holidays.
Emphasizing the importance of Turkish expatriates vacationing in Turkey, Kavaloğlu continued, “Our expatriates stay for extended periods, enjoying their holidays and visiting their homeland. This positively impacts tourism. By June, nearly 600,000 European Turks had chosen Antalya, and this number will continue to rise. Turks living in Europe were busy with EURO 2024, but now that the championship is over, they are visiting more freely. We expect 1 million expatriates to vacation in Antalya this year.”
Activity Expected to Continue Through September, October, and November
Volkan Yorulmaz, President of the Kemer Region Promotion Foundation, explained that the German government had canceled leaves for all public institutions, including hospitals and security, due to EURO 2024, causing the European market to stall. Yorulmaz, also a hotel general manager, noted that the German business community had postponed vacations during the championship, leading to a busier European market in July. He added, “We expect a significant potential from Europe, especially in September, October, and November. The influx of expatriates continues.”
source: aa.com.tr/ prepared by Melisa Beğiç