Turkey and Greece drive growth in Mediterranean tourism

The German tourism sector saw growth in the 2026 summer season, with package and modular tour sales increasing by 4% and passenger numbers rising by 2%. This growth was largely driven by last-minute bookings and cruise travel, particularly in Eastern Mediterranean destinations. Within this region, Greece saw a 10% increase in turnover and Turkey saw a 9% increase.

In Turkey, cruise tourism has shown significant activity. Between January and September 2026, 976 cruise ships visited Turkish ports, transporting approximately 1.64 million passengers, a 4.1% increase compared to the previous year. Kusadasi was the most popular port with over 765,000 passengers, followed by Istanbul, Marmaris, Bodrum, and Izmir. Additionally, the number of domestic passengers embarking from Turkish ports rose by 11%.

Despite the summer success, the German Travel Association (DRV) noted that bookings for the 2026/27 winter season are currently lower than the previous year, with turnover down by 2%.