Mardin targets East Asian tourists after record-breaking year

MARDİN

The southeastern province of Mardin — known for its rich history, multicultural heritage and religious landmarks — is seeking to attract more tourists from East Asian countries following a record year for tourism.

The number of tourists staying overnight in Mardin rose sharply last year, driven by strong interest in faith tourism and the city’s extensive historical and cultural assets. With nearly 20,000 beds available in hotels and guesthouses, occupancy rates reached almost 100 percent during holidays, long weekends and peak travel periods.

Around 1 million tourists stayed overnight in Mardin in 2025, while more than 3 million visitors toured the city on day trips.

Local authorities now aim to diversify the country's profile of visitors by increasing arrivals from East Asia, particularly those interested in cultural tours.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Governor and Deputy Mayor Tuncay Akkoyun said the number of overnight tourists had been around 650,000 the previous year, noting that 2025 marked a major milestone.

“Overnight stays reached nearly 1 million, while the number of day visitors exceeded three million. This is a significant success for our city,” Akkoyun said.

To build on this momentum, Akkoyun said a Tourism Master Plan was prepared in cooperation with Cappadocia University to ensure tourism development in the city.

He added that efforts continue to extend tourism activity from six months to year-round and to distribute visitor traffic beyond a limited number of locations.

Mardin has also become one of the most popular filming locations in Türkiye in recent years, Akkoyun noted, adding that the city has seen intense demand for TV series, films and documentaries.

“In 2025 alone, applications were submitted for 70 productions, including 13 domestic films and TV series and nine foreign productions,” he said.

Akkoyun also recalled that Mardin Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Airport has officially gained customs status and that the historic Anıtlı neighborhood was included in the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s “Best Tourism Villages 2025” list, underlining efforts to strengthen the city’s international visibility.

Stressing the need to increase the share of foreign visitors, Akkoyun said around 90 percent of tourists currently visiting Mardin are domestic, while foreign tourists account for roughly 10 percent.

“We are working to raise this figure. International tourism fairs and the customs status of our airport are very important steps,” he said.

Akkoyun noted that the Chinese ambassador to Türkiye had been invited to Mardin, adding that strong support was received to encourage Chinese tourists to visit the city. Following the visit, a Chinese news agency also traveled to Mardin to observe the region’s atmosphere of peace and coexistence.

The governor said the Japanese ambassador would also be invited as part of outreach efforts.

“Globally, sea-sand-sun tourism has declined by 31 percent over the past five years, while history and cultural tourism has increased by 30 percent. East Asian tourists are among the most important visitors in this field. East Asia is therefore a key target region for us. We will promote Mardin to the world, starting with East Asia,” Akkoyun said.

Highlighting the city’s long-standing culture of hospitality, Akkoyun added that the welcoming attitude of local residents is one of the most important factors supporting tourism growth.

Tourism and travel agency representative İsmail Sincar also described 2025 as a very successful year for Mardin, noting that while the city has traditionally attracted domestic visitors, interest from foreign tourists has been growing.

“Mardin was extremely busy during holidays and special occasions last year. We are now seeing growing interest from China and other parts of Asia. Expectations from East Asia are very high,” Sincar said, thanking local authorities for international promotion efforts.

Artisan Nesrin Cihaner, who practices traditional crafts at the historic Kasımiye Madrasah, said Mardin now attracts visitors throughout the year and that the number of foreign tourists continues to rise.

“Mardin is opening up to East Asia. We believe promotion efforts targeting this region will further increase visitor numbers,” she said.

Tour guide Aydın Alkan, who works at the Deyrulzafaran Monastery, echoed this view, saying Mardin has gained the recognition it deserves in Türkiye and will do so globally as well.

Local shopkeeper Necmettin Yüksel, who has sold traditional soap in the city for 40 years, said he had appeared in a documentary filmed in Mardin and broadcast in East Asian countries last year.

“People who watched the documentary contact us, say they plan to visit and even order soap. They greatly admire Mardin,” he said.