The Türkiye Guide

Türkiye Welcomes 9.2 Million Visitors in Q1 2026 as Tourism Revenue Nears $10 Billion

· 2 min read Travel News
Istanbul, Türkiye

Contents

  1. Building on a Record 2025
  2. Who Is Visiting
  3. What It Means for Travellers

Türkiye has released its first-quarter 2026 tourism figures, and the momentum from a record-breaking 2025 is clearly carrying over. Between January and March 2026, the country welcomed 9.2 million international visitors — a 4.2% increase on the same period in 2025 — and generated USD 9.896 billion in tourism revenue.

Building on a Record 2025

To put the Q1 numbers in context: 2025 was the strongest year in the history of Turkish tourism, with 64 million total visitors and USD 65.2 billion in annual revenue. The 2026 government target of USD 68 billion looks achievable given the Q1 trajectory, and the summer season — when the bulk of arrivals land — has not yet begun.

Who Is Visiting

Germany remained Türkiye’s largest single-country source market in Q1 2026, contributing 678,000 visitors. Russia came second with 651,000, followed by Bulgaria with 539,000. The figures reflect the enduring popularity of Türkiye with Eastern European travellers as well as a steady base from Western Europe.

Beyond Europe, arrivals from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries continue to grow, with estimates suggesting over 12 million GCC visitors for the full year — a market that has expanded rapidly since 2022 as direct airline connections multiplied.

What It Means for Travellers

Strong demand across the board means hotel occupancy at popular destinations is running high. Spring 2026 occupancy hit 82% — a post-pandemic peak — and early summer bookings are tracking ahead of 2025. Travellers planning last-minute trips to Istanbul, Antalya, or Cappadocia this season should expect fuller properties and should book accommodation further ahead than usual.

The flip side is that infrastructure investment has followed the visitor surge. Biometric lanes are now active at Istanbul and Antalya airports, cutting arrival queues noticeably. The e-Visa system processes most applications within minutes, and walk-up visa windows — which caused delays at peak periods — have been permanently retired in favour of digital-only processing.

For first-time visitors researching the right time to travel, our best time to visit Turkey guide sets out the trade-offs between shoulder and peak season across different regions.