The number of tourists arriving in Antalya has exceeded 16 million
Kaan Kavaloğlu, the President of the Mediterranean Tourist Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), announced that the number of tourists in Antalya has exceeded 16 million as of the end of October, and it is expected to reach 17 million by the end of the year.
Kavaloğlu stated that the number of tourists in Antalya increased by approximately 8% compared to last year, reaching 16 million by the end of October. He reminded that the tourism professionals have set a target of 17 million tourists this year. “In November, we expect over 500,000 tourists. Approximately 350,000 will also arrive in December. When transit passengers are included, we will reach 17 million people. We need to produce an additional 1 million people every year. Therefore, our target for 2025 should be 18 million,” he said.
Surprise Markets: Poland and Romania
Kavaloğlu emphasized that Russia and Germany are two important primary markets for tourism in Antalya, listing other important markets as the UK, Poland, Romania, Belgium, and the Netherlands. He noted that the number of tourists from the UK increased by 25%, surpassing 1.5 million. “Poland and Romania are the surprise markets of this year. Poland has surpassed 1 million. Romania, especially after being able to enter with an ID, has gained significant momentum in last-minute reservations,” he stated.
Rapid Recovery After the Pandemic
Ali Kızıldağ, the general manager of a five-star hotel, indicated that high occupancy rates are continuing in hotels during October and November, stating, “The figures are good. Revenues are good, we are very satisfied. Antalya does not tire of breaking records. We quickly passed through the recovery process after the pandemic. In the following years, we have been able to reach these satisfying results year after year. This is due to the incredible efforts of the public sector, private sector, civil society organizations, and local governments. Now, in Antalya, everyone, from seven to seventy, has internalized and accepted the culture of tourism, the love of tourism, and the service mentality. Despite all the crises, we recovered quickly compared to other cities and destinations worldwide and are coming back with an incredible momentum by increasing our figures," he said.
Kızıldağ added, “We are talking about revenues of more than $20 billion. This is an incredible success story in terms of both the added value it creates for Turkey and the opportunities and contributions it provides to this world paradise, Antalya. We should congratulate everyone who contributed to this story, as we have had a very good and successful season. The figures regarding revenues and incoming tourists are very encouraging. Although we cannot say that cash flows in the accommodation sector were very satisfying due to stable exchange rates and high inflation pressure, we can say that this year has been satisfying in terms of tourist numbers, expenditures, and tourism revenue".