Türkiye could benefit from shifts in tourism in US
ISTANBUL
As tourist flows from the United States and Russia are expected to shift to different destinations in 2025, Türkiye is likely to gain a significant share from this trend, according to people from the tourism industry.
Particularly, travel to and within the U.S. is expected to shift toward Europe.
Türkiye welcomed 1.44 million visitors from the U.S. in 2024, up from 1.33 million in the previous year.
As the region with the highest annual travel expenditures worldwide, the tourist movement within and toward the U.S. is expected to shrink slightly, redirecting toward Europe and other destinations due to the uncertainties created by the Donald Trump administration, along with market volatility, according to experts.
Focusing on increasing its share in this shift, Turkish Airlines aims to expand its presence through direct flights, positioning Türkiye as one of the leading destinations on this route.
Türkiye’s primary goal in the near term has been set to draw 2 million tourists from the U.S. In 2025, the number of American tourists is expected to come very close to this target.
Another major tourism market for Türkiye is Russia, which is experiencing a relatively stable new period, while the increase in the value of the ruble has led to economic improvements.
This momentum is expected to translate into stronger demand from Russian holidaymakers throughout 2025.
In 2024, the number of Russian tourists approached the 2019 record with 6.7 million visitors. In 2025, this figure is expected to reach 7.3 million, surpassing all previous records.
Türkiye ranked first with a 38.5 percent share of Russian tourists' total international trips in 2024.
