Tourism revenue up 4.2% in Q1 to $9.9 billion, net receipts near $7.7B

According to data published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), Turkey’s tourism revenue in the first quarter of 2026 (January–March) rose 4.2% year‑on‑year to $9,896,456,000. The quarterly release shows that the sector continued to generate significant foreign exchange inflows at the start of the year despite mixed global conditions.

Breakdown of the receipts indicates $9,694,574,000 came from visitors and $201,883,000 from transit passengers. By expenditure type, individual visitor spending amounted to $8,469,691,000 while package‑tour revenues totaled $1,224,883,000. On the other side, tourism expenditure by residents travelling abroad fell 9.1% year‑on‑year to $2,224,603,000, narrowing outbound outlays and improving the net balance.

As a result, the net tourism inflow for Q1—tourism receipts less tourism expenditure—stands at roughly $7.67 billion, a meaningful contribution to Turkey’s foreign exchange earnings and current account dynamics. The data show only modest growth in visitor numbers in the quarter, but higher average spend per visitor and stronger package‑tour revenues supported overall receipts.

In a broader macroeconomic context, the Q1 increase builds on the previous year’s levels and signals resilience in the tourism sector ahead of the main summer season. Nonetheless, analysts highlight downside risks including regional geopolitical tensions, volatility in energy prices and global demand fluctuations that could weigh on arrivals and spending patterns.

Market participants and industry stakeholders anticipate that a robust peak season could further lift annual tourism revenues, while policymakers and tourism operators focus on balancing promotional activity, capacity and cost pressures. Key indicators to watch for the coming quarters are monthly arrival trends, average spend per visitor and the performance of key source markets.