Tourism numbers double as visitors return to Turkey

Last year saw grateful visitors returning to Turkey as foreign arrival numbers bounced back.

Data released this week showed visitor numbers in 2021 were double that of 2020, the year the pandemic shut down international travel.

More than 30 million people visited Turkey last year, which included Turkish nationals living abroad and eager to visit their homeland.

The visitors generated much-needed income for Turkey, with a 103% increase in revenue to US$25 billion last year, the data showed. That's still some way below Turkey's all-time annual high of $34.5bn, in 2019, but officials are glad to see the figures tracking northwards.

Russians topped the list of visitors, with almost five million nationals arriving in Turkey last year, a 120% increase over 2020.

Next in line were the Germans, with 3.1 million visitors arriving in Turkey between January and December last year, and then more than 2m tourists from Ukraine.

Property Turkey director Cameron Deggin said the trend was "promising".

"Obviously, we're thinking of the economy, but we have to remember it's been a tough couple of years for tourism operators across the country. Restaurateurs, hotel owners, tour companies - they've all struggled, so it's positive to see these numbers."

Demand for property during the last two years had remained steady, Deggin said.

"Aside from a short quiet period during the first few weeks of the pandemic, we have been busy, with investors taking advantage of the lowered lira and quieter conditions to get the best prices."