Turkey’s tourism revenue declines 17 pct in first quarter as foreign arrivals continue to decrease

ANKARA

Turkey’s tourism revenue regressed to $3.4 billion in the first quarter of the year with a 17.1 percent of year-on-year decrease, amid continuous decline in the number of foreign arrivals, data from the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜİK) showed on April 28. 

While some 71.8 percent of this income - excluding GSM roaming and marina service expenditures - was obtained from foreign visitors, the remaining 28.2 percent was obtained from Turks residing abroad, according to TÜİK. 

The number of foreign arrivals to Turkey regressed to 3.8 million in the first three months of the year with a 6.4 percent of decrease compared to the same period in 2016, data from the Tourism Ministry showed on April 28. 

The number of foreign tourists visiting Turkey was announced 1.6 million in March, with a 4 percent of year-on-year decrease. 

While the number of arrivals from Europe continued to decline in March, there was a significant increase in the number of arrivals from Russia in March, data showed. 

A total of 565,643 people from European countries visited Turkey in March, with an almost 25 percent of year-on-year decrease. 

In the same month, the number of arrivals from Russia to Turkey showed a 145 percent of year-on-year increase, hitting 58,654. 

Most of the tourists arriving to Turkey were from Iran, Georgia, Bulgaria, Germany and Russia in March, according to data. 

In the first three months of the year, a total of 1.4 million Europeans visited Turkey with a 23 percent of year-on-year increase, data showed. 

In the same period, a total of 138,039 Russians visited Turkey with a 109 percent of year-on-year increase.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s hotel occupancy rates rose in March after months of decline thanks to a surge in the number of business meetings and the sharp rise in the number of Iranian tourists visiting Turkey during the Nevruz holiday. 

Hotel revenues, however, have continued to decline in the first quarter of 2017, the Hotels Association of Turkey (TÜROB) announced on April 27. 

Hotel occupancy rates rose to 55.8 percent, up 5.3 percentage points year-on-year from March, TÜROB said in a statement based on the latest STR Global data. 

Hotel occupancy rates across Turkey increased to 52.3 percent in the first quarter from 50.1 percent in the same period of 2016. 

Hotel revenues, however, continued to decline in March.