ANTALYA
Antalya, one of Türkiye’s top tourism destinations, may miss its 2025 visitor target amid ongoing regional crises that continue to cast a shadow over travel demand.
The Mediterranean city welcomed 7.5 million tourists in the first six-and-a-half months of the year, crossing a critical mid-season threshold by mid-July, yet falling short of earlier expectations.
Kaan Kavaloğlu, president of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), acknowledged that the initial 18 million visitor goal was “optimistic,” given sustained geopolitical tensions.
“We anticipated the possibility of the Russia-Ukraine war ending, but its continuation, alongside renewed Israel-Iran tension and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has negatively impacted tourism,” he said.
By July 16, Antalya had welcomed 7.5 million visitors — closely tracking last year’s numbers. Strong domestic demand and the steady influx of Turkish nationals residing in Europe have played a pivotal role in keeping the season on stable footing.
While tourists from Germany and Russia showed slight declines, arrivals from the U.K. and Poland rose in June, according to Kavaloğlu.
“With July and August representing the strongest travel window, we are expecting to attract 5.6 million tourists in those two months alone,” he said.
“If we reach that goal, we believe we won’t fall short of last year and could surpass 17 million visitors,” Kavaloğlu stated.
He also predicted a seasonal extension through late November, provided weather conditions remain favorable.
“I assume September and October will perform well. Even if we don’t hit the 18 million mark, we won’t drop below last year’s levels,” he added.