Around $135.35 billion is expected to be contributed by Turkey’s tourism industry to the country’s economy, accounting for around 12% of national GDP, with foreign and domestic tourism spending increasing, according to the latest figures from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
The WTTC report predicts an increase in tourism product of more than $5.2 billion this year, compared to 2024, driven by a rise in both domestic and inbound tourism.
Tourism expenditure and jobs
Foreign visitor spending is expected to reach $67.7 billion in 2025, reflecting Turkey’s growing popularity on the global tourism scene. Meanwhile, domestic visitor spending is expected to reach $36.5 billion, highlighting the potential of Turkey’s domestic tourism industry.
The report also predicts that the travel and tourism industry will support 3.3 million jobs across Turkey this year, accounting for more than 10% of total employment.
From food services and the cultural events sector to the transport and hospitality sectors, the tourism and travel industry creates long-term opportunities for millions of Turkish citizens.
“Turkey’s vision has been instrumental in the development of its tourism”
According to WTTC CEO Julia Simpson’s statements to Anadolu Agency, “Turkey has put itself on the global tourism map.”
Simpson also touched on the crucial role of Turkish Airlines, which, she said, flies to more destinations than any other airline in the world and this means that Turkey is very well connected.
Resilient tourism, but also changes
The WTTC chief acknowledged that while global conflicts affect tourism, the impact is limited to the local level. “Travel and tourism is very resilient in many respects and the impact of conflict tends to be local,” he noted. He stressed that Turkey welcomes visitors from all over the world, with what he called open arms.
However, he also warned that economic uncertainty stemming from tariffs and trade disputes could create some turbulence in the tourism-travel industry in the short term.
“It is true that when there is an unstable market and uncertainty, no investor likes that. I really hope that some trade agreements can be reached and any issues can be resolved,” he said.
Despite these potential adversities, Ms Simpson stressed that there is no drop in the number of travellers to Turkey. “Turkish tourism numbers remain strong,” she noted, stressing that Turkey is not, at present, feeling any impact.
Referring to the global travel and tourism sector in 2025, she said the WTTC predicts it will grow by 6.7 percent, reaching a value of about $11.7 trillion.
