Turkey tourism shows resilience despite regional geopolitical risks

Despite regional geopolitical tensions and military conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, Turkey has maintained a strong performance in the summer tourism season. Firuz Bağlıkaya, President of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), described the country as a “oasis” and a safe destination amidst surrounding instability.

Russia, Germany, and the United Kingdom remain the primary driver markets for Turkish tourism. To sustain growth and increase revenue, Bağlıkaya emphasized the need to diversify the tourism portfolio beyond traditional sea, sand, and sun models. He highlighted the significant momentum gained in health tourism over the last decade and noted the potential for expansion in gastronomy, cultural, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism.

Additionally, Bağlıkaya called for legal regulations to ensure fair competition regarding foreign digital platforms, noting that such platforms can create disadvantages for local stakeholders if not properly regulated.