Antalya welcomes 14 million tourists despite regional wars

ANTALYA

Antalya has hosted around 14 million foreign tourists since the beginning of 2026, boasting a resilient visitor count despite conflicts in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war and global economic headwinds, a sector representative told state-run Anadolu Agency.

Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, president of the Mediterranean Tourist Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), stated that the tourism season has been a significant success despite a 5 percent decline in foreign arrivals amid geopolitical tensions and economic stagnation in Europe.

Kavaloğlu noted that the sector navigated the five-year war between Russia and Ukraine, two of Antalya’s key tourism source markets, with resilience, while the hub recorded notable growth in visitor numbers from Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Hungary this year, offsetting regional downturns.

“Right now, the fall break, or rather ‘Herbstferien’ in Germany, is underway, while British and Russian tourists wish to go on vacation during this period, too—prices are more affordable in October compared to July and August, even in the domestic market, albeit not to the same level as in summer months,” he said.

He mentioned that Antalya will host the U.N. Climate Change Conference COP31 in November and that preparations are underway to welcome “important guests.”