Tourists spend nearly $6 billion on food in Türkiye in first half

ANKARA  

Tourists visiting Türkiye spent nearly $6 billion on food and beverages in the first six months of 2026, according to official data.

Food and beverage spending by foreign visitors reached $5.9 billion in the first half of the year, up about 9 percent from $5.43 billion recorded in the same period of 2025, according to the figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). Türkiye generated $25.75 billion in tourism revenue in the January-June period.

The data show that food and drink accounted for the largest share of tourists’ spending in Türkiye, reflecting strong interest in the country’s diverse culinary offerings. Visitors experienced a wide range of traditional dishes across different regions of the country, from döner and pide to lahmacun and home-style cuisine.

Clothing and footwear ranked among the other major spending categories. Tourists spent $2.20 billion on clothing and shoes during the first six months of the year.

Spending on souvenirs totaled $890 million in the same period. Revenue from sports, education and cultural activities reached $249 million, while other tourism-related expenditures generated $618 million.