Some 7.5 million German tourists expected this year

ANTALYA

Some 7.5 million German tourists are expected to visit Türkiye this year, says Recep Yavuz from the Antalya City Council Tourism Working Group.

Last year, 6.62 million German holidaymakers came to Türkiye, with the Mediterranean resort Antalya hosting 1.57 million of them, Yavuz noted.

The Turkish tourism industry is an important source of hard currency revenue.

Türkiye welcomed more than 62 million visitors and generated over $61 billion in tourism revenues in 2024.

This year the country eyes 65 million visitors and $64 billion in tourism revenues.

The German Travel Association (DRV) said last week that Türkiye is the most booked vacation destination for this summer.

Antalya is a favored destination for German families with children, while young couples prefer Greece and Spain, elderly tourists choose Spain and Türkiye during spring and autumn, according to Yavuz.

Yavuz, who attended the ITB tourism fair in Berlin, noted that authorities in Germany predict that 2025 will follow a similar trend to 2024.

“Last year, over 6 million [German] tourists came to Türkiye. This year, we expect the number to reach 7.5 million. We also anticipate that the number of tourists visiting Antalya will surpass last year’s figures," he said.

Yavuz, however, noted that he observed at the ITB fair that there was a perception that "Türkiye is too expensive."

“We are competing with countries like Egypt and Tunisia, which offer lower prices than us. We must change the perception that Türkiye is an expensive destination immediately,” he said.

The tourism industry is affected by the general economic situation, he added.

“Tourists don't just stay at the hotel; they go out, dine and shop. Therefore, prices in general matter," he stated.

Yavuz voiced optimism about tourism activity in Antalya this year.

“Antalya is likely to host between 17 to 18 million foreign tourists in 2025. We are hopeful about this year,” he said.