Over the last decade, the number of Spanish tourists visiting Türkiye has increased fourfold to approximately 420,000 as of late 2025, a growth mirrored by a doubling of direct flights that underscores the strengthening tourism and cultural ties between the two nations, according to Turkish officials.
Speaking to reporters at the international tourism fair FITUR in Madrid, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Spain Nüket Küçükel Ezberci said tourism has become one of the most visible indicators of the strengthening relationship between the two countries.
Ezberci noted that tourism flows between Türkiye and Spain were once highly imbalanced but have now largely equalized.
About a decade ago, total mutual tourist numbers were around 400,000, with far more Turkish visitors traveling to Spain than Spaniards visiting Türkiye.
By early 2023, reciprocal tourism had reached 600,000, and by 2025, it rose to around 1 million.
She also highlighted the sharp rise in air connectivity.
Weekly direct flights from Spain to Türkiye increased from 74 a decade ago to 103 in early 2023 and have now reached 153, with expectations that the figure will soon climb to around 160 thanks to new routes.
Until recently, direct flights from Spain to Türkiye were limited to Istanbul.
New services have now been launched in the western city of İzmir and the capital Ankara, further expanding travel options.
Beyond tourism, Ezberci underlined that political, economic and military relations between Türkiye and Spain are at historically high levels, especially following the 8th intergovernmental summit held in Madrid in June 2024.
These broader ties, she said, are directly reflected in tourism growth.
Spanish tourists primarily favor Istanbul and the central city of Nevşehir’s iconic Cappadocia, while destinations such as İzmir’s Ephesus and Pamukkale in the western province of Denizli have gained popularity in recent years.
Ezberci also pointed out that Türkiye now ranks as the world’s fourth most-visited country, with tourism contributing around $65 billion to the Turkish economy last year.
