Turkey’s tourism revenue drops 16.5 percent in first quarter

In the first three months of 2016, tourism revenue decreased to $4.07 billion, according to data that was released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) on April 29. While 71.3 percent of the revenue came from foreign visitors, some 28.7 percent was obtained from citizens who reside abroad, the data showed. 

Tourism revenue was $31.5 billion in 2015 with an 8.3 percent decline compared to the previous year. 

The number of foreign arrivals in Turkey declined approximately 13 percent in March to 1.65 million compared to the same month of 2015, the sharpest drop since October 2006, according to data from the Tourism Ministry. The number of foreign arrivals to Turkey declined by 10.3 percent to around 4 million in the first three months of the year compared to the same period of 2015, according to the ministry data. The number of arrivals from Russia saw a roughly 59 percent decline in the period in question, according to the data that was released on April 28. 

According to official figures, the number of arrivals from Germany declined 17 percent in March compared to the same month of 2015. Meanwhile, the number of Japanese tourists dropped by 48 percent in the same period.

The Hoteliers Association of Turkey (TÜROB) said the association expected a significant loss in the number of European tourists, mainly from Germany, this year, adding that many reservations and events had already been canceled due to security concerns. 

The number of reservation cancelations from the German market has been around 40 percent, TÜROB said April 4, according to Reuters. 

The latest terror attacks in Turkey have created a big security concern for European tourists, so a significant loss in the number of foreign arrivals to Turkey from Germany, France, Spain and Italy is expected over this year, said TÜROB. 

German travelers’ bookings for summer holidays in Turkey have dropped around 40 percent compared to a year ago, reflecting tourists’ concern over security, German travel association DRV said in March. A meeting of around 600 tour agencies, which was scheduled to be held in the Aegean resort of Kuşadası in April, was canceled.

In order to support the sector during the current downturn, the government has announced a number of economic packages.