İznik sees int’l demand for religious tourism

BURSA

The northwestern province of Bursa’s historical İznik district, home to monumental structures from the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods, has been included in international travel agencies’ tour packages, with a significant influx of foreign tourists expected after May.

Sector representatives noted that religious tourism has gained further prominence following Pope Leo XIV’s visit to İznik in November 2025.

As part of his Türkiye trip on Nov. 28, 2025, Pope Leo XIV visited İznik. The visit was primarily intended to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, convened in 325 A.D., a pivotal event in Christian history, and to emphasize interchurch unity.

The Pope travelled from Istanbul to İznik by helicopter, where he participated in a prayer ceremony held at the archaeological excavation site of the submerged Basilica of Saint Neophytos (also known as the Basilica of the Holy Fathers) in Lake İznik.

His visit received extensive coverage in the international press and significantly contributed to the district’s global visibility, with officials stating that it has sparked growing interest among foreign visitors.

According to data, Bursa hosted 365,078 foreign tourists and 1.4 million domestic tourists in hotel accommodations last year. The total number of overnight stays reached 2.9 million.

“We most recently attended the Berlin International Tourism Exchange (ITB) Fair. İznik was widely discussed there. Travel agencies from abroad have already prepared tour packages for İznik. We are planning to host a very significant number of foreign tourists in İznik after the May period,” said Engin Balta, a senior regional official from the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).

“We have been in contact with many local tradespeople. Our shopkeepers are ready for the tourism activity and are also highly enthusiastic about it. With the arrival of foreign tourists, we also plan to carry out these tours together with our colleagues.”

Countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Switzerland show the highest demand for these tours, he added.