Tourism has started 2022 fast. The number of tourists coming from Europe in two months approached the 2019 figures, which is considered the best of the tourism season. The number of tourists from Russia and Ukraine exceeded 2019.
Prepared to get rid of the shadow of the pandemic, Turkey entered the 2022 tourism season strongly. In the first two months of data, 2019 is approaching. According to the tourism statistics announced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism yesterday, 2 million 823 thousand foreign tourists came to Turkey in January-February. In the same period of 2019, 3 million 209 thousand foreign tourists visited our country.
GERMAN AND BRITISH TOURISTS BROKE A RECORD
Looking at the figures for the first two months, the increase in the number of European tourists draws attention. British tourists, who have come to our country since September of 2021 and made a reservation attack this year, broke the all-time record in the first two months. While the number of tourists coming to Turkey from England was 80 thousand in 2019, this number exceeded 94 thousand in 2022. While the number of tourists coming from Germany, another main market of our country, was 235 thousand, this number exceeded 231 thousand in the first two months of this year.
186.5% INCREASE IN FEBRUARY
In February, the number of foreign visitors to Turkey increased by 186.5% compared to the previous year and reached 1.54 million. Compared to February 2020, the number of foreign tourists decreased by 10%. In the list of countries sending the most visitors to our country in February, Bulgaria ranked first with 128 thousand, followed by Germany with 128 thousand, Iran with 120 thousand and Russia with 112 thousand.
THEY CAME BEFORE THE WAR
The hot war between Russia and Ukraine, one of Turkey’s top 5 markets in recent years, has also increased the uncertainties regarding the number of tourists from these two countries. While there was an increase in the number of tourists in both markets before the war, it was noted that the figures for 2019 were also exceeded. Accordingly, while the number of tourists from Russia in January-February was 179 thousand in 2019, this number increased to 246 thousand in 2022. While the number of tourists from Ukraine was 75 thousand, this number exceeded 79 thousand in the same period of this year. Due to the hot war between the two countries, the number of tourists coming from these countries is expected to decrease in the coming months.
Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz