Türkiye generated $51.28 billion in tourism revenue from January through September 2026, up 2.4% from the same period last year. The figure marks a record for the first nine months of the year, according to data from the country's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, cited by the Culture Department of the Turkish Embassy in Turkmenistan.
The positive trend continued in the third quarter, with tourism revenue rising 5% year over year to a record $25.5 billion between July and September.
Presenting the sector's results at a news conference in Istanbul, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy attributed the growth to sustained efforts to strengthen the resilience of the tourism sector. Since 2018, Türkiye has been expanding the geographical reach of its tourism markets and diversifying its offerings, he said. One of the key steps was the establishment of the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), which promotes the country systematically on the international stage.
Türkiye plans to further strengthen its position in key markets and step up efforts to attract visitors from the Americas, Canada, East Asia, Africa and Oceania.
The increase in tourism revenue was accompanied by higher visitor spending. During the first nine months of 2026, average spending per overnight stay rose 4.6% to $107.7. The average length of stay reached 10.34 nights, up 0.3%.
Türkiye welcomed 49.1 million visitors during the period. Russia was the largest source market, with 5.70 million visitors, followed by Germany with 5.17 million and the United Kingdom with 3.20 million.
A total of 151,887 Turkmen citizens visited Türkiye from January through August 2026. According to figures presented by Turkish Ambassador to Turkmenistan Shener Jebeji at a meeting with journalists on Oct. 24, this was 20.46% higher than in the same period last year.
Air connections between the two countries are also expanding amid the growing tourist flow. According to the published schedule of Turkish Airlines, the number of weekly flights between Ashgabat and Istanbul increased to 17 starting March 29, 2026. Meanwhile, according to the schedule of Turkmenistan Airlines, the number of weekly flights on the route rose from 12 to 13 starting Oct. 25.
