As an estimated 15 million people are preparing to travel across Türkiye during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, a massive travel rush expected to generate nearly 200 billion Turkish Liras ($4.4 billion) in economic activity through family visits, coastal vacations and urban tours, delivering a major boost to the country’s tourism sector.
Representatives from the industry report near-capacity bookings across the country, while demand is also robust for a range of international destinations. Domestic travelers are increasingly choosing cultural, culinary and nature-focused itineraries.
The timing of the holiday at the end of May is set to provide a major boost to coastal resorts, particularly all-inclusive hotels in the Mediterranean province of Antalya, alongside millions of people hitting the road for traditional hometown visits.
Hakan Saatçioğlu, head of the Professional Hotel Managers Association (POYD), said occupancy rates at many hotels in Antalya have already reached 90 percent to 95 percent, with some accommodation facilities completely sold out. Saatçioğlu noted that the extended Eid holiday has effectively kick-started the summer season.
Antalya is also seeing a surge in international arrivals as the Eid holiday coincides with Germany’s Pentecost (Pfingsten) break. The overlapping holidays have boosted demand from both German tourists and Turkish expatriates living abroad, helping the Mediterranean tourism hub secure a strong start to the high season.
Special daily itineraries starting at 1,000 liras have been launched for those staying in or visiting Istanbul, featuring historic neighborhoods such as Beyoğlu-Pera and Fener-Balat, alongside museum tours. The influx of holiday visitors is expected to lift Istanbul’s hotel occupancy rates by 20 percent.
With many families treating the holiday as an early summer vacation, coastal regions are seeing the highest demand. Antalya remains the top destination, where booking data shows travelers favor three-night, four-day all-inclusive packages priced between 40,000 and 60,000 liras.
Further up the coast, the Aegean route is also drawing heavy interest, with spots like Ayvalık, Çanakkale and parts of İzmir seeing three-day accommodation prices ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 liras.
