Türkiye’s hosting of the NATO summit this month generated a major economic boost for Ankara, contributing an estimated 900 million Turkish Liras ($19 million) to the capital’s economy through accommodation, dining, transportation, shopping and other tourism-related spending, a senior official has said.
The Turkish capital hosted the 36th NATO leaders’ summit for the first time on July 7-8, providing a significant lift to its tourism and hospitality sectors.
Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Ankara Provincial Director of the Culture and Tourism Ministry Erhan Karakaya described the summit as one of the world’s largest international gatherings and said successfully hosting the event marked a major achievement for the city.
A total of 23 hotels, most of them five-star properties, were designated for the summit. Around 5,500 guests stayed at the coordinated hotels, while the total number of foreign visitors hosted across the city during the summit reached approximately 7,000, he said.
“Ankara has demonstrated that it possesses the capacity to host major international summits, while once again showcasing Turkish hospitality,” Karakaya said.
The 23 designated hotels alone generated nearly 600 million liras in revenue, the official said.
When spending on restaurants, local businesses, shopping malls and other commercial activity is included, the total economic contribution during the July 1-8 period reached 800 to 900 million liras, representing roughly a sixfold increase compared with the same period last year, Karakaya explained.
“Such revenue growth is typical during large-scale international summits,” he said.
Karakaya emphasized that the benefits of hosting global events extend well beyond their immediate economic impact, saying they enhance Ankara’s international profile and encourage new tourism investments.
He also underlined the importance of expanding the city’s supply of high-quality accommodation facilities to strengthen its ability to attract future international events.
As part of the summit, the ministry prepared bilingual Turkish and English promotional brochures featuring QR codes for foreign journalists and official delegations.
Despite their packed schedules, some visitors toured landmarks, including Ankara Castle, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and other historic sites, while also shopping at local businesses.
Karakaya added that preparations have already begun for the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, which Ankara is scheduled to host in October.
