Antalya, breaking an all-time record with around 15.5 million tourists, not only sees an increase in the number of visitors and revenue but also draws attention for extending the tourism season to 12 months.
Antalya, not only known for its sun, sand, and sea but also standing out in various tourism sectors such as culture, sports, and conferences, has surpassed the tourism records of 2019 with approximately 15.5 million tourists. Attracting guests from over 100 countries, with a focus on Russia, Germany, the UK, Poland, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Romania, and the Czech Republic, the city has experienced an extended tourism season.
Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin told AA correspondent that Turkey and Antalya entered a much faster recovery process after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Şahin stated that this year's figures delighted the tourism sector and other industries dependent on tourism, saying, "With the tourists coming in December, Antalya caught up with and surpassed 2019, which was a peak year. I estimate that by the end of the year, we will have surpassed 2019 by a rate of 5 percent. This means a record-breaking year. We consider the tourists arriving by plane, which is approximately 15.5 million, but with those coming in other ways, we can say 'we hosted 20 million tourists this year.'"
Highlighting significant increases in tourism revenues, Şahin emphasized that per capita income has risen from around $80 to $100.
Şahin emphasized the invaluable contribution of Antalya to the national economy, stating, "If we consider that the incoming tourists spend $100 a day and the average length of stay in Antalya is 8 nights, we have an annual contribution of $14 billion to the national economy. According to TÜİK, they announced the contributions of provinces to gross domestic product in recent weeks. We come second after Istanbul as the most contributing province. We largely owe this to tourism.
"Antalya, a city with high tourism diversity"
Governor Şahin stated that Antalya has rich tourism potential and is striving to make the best use of it. He emphasized that, beyond beach tourism, the city stands out in areas such as golf, culture, conferences, and health.
Particularly highlighting the city's golf courses, Şahin noted that Antalya ranks first in the country in this field, attracting tourists who spend more on golf and generating tourist activity during the off-season.
Şahin also mentioned the significant momentum gained in health tourism and highlighted the region's prominence in cultural tourism.
Explaining that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has made serious investments in archaeological excavations in ancient cities, Şahin stated, "The Ministry of Culture and Tourism plans to surpass the excavations in the history of the Republic in four years and allocates a very intensive budget for this. We are reaping the rewards of this. Side is a beautiful example; I recommend everyone to see the new version of Side. Following it, there are Phaselis, Perge, Patara."
Şahin expressed that the involvement of foreign archaeologists in excavations by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has accelerated the work.
Highlighting the commencement of congress tourism from September 15 and its continuation during the winter season, Şahin reminded that Antalya hosted many international summits such as the G20, Antalya Democracy Forum, where world leaders come together.
Şahin stated that with fairs, festivals, congresses, and sports tournaments, the tourism season in the city has extended to 12 months, emphasizing that tourism activity continues throughout the year.
He concluded by mentioning that a significant portion of the bed capacity in Turkey is located in Antalya.
Şahin emphasized that Antalya's infrastructure is also strong.
Stating that the majority of Turkey's bed capacity is located in Antalya, Şahin said, 'We have over 640,000 bed capacity and around 2,500 tourism facilities. Approximately 400,000 of the 640,000 bed capacity belongs to 5-star hotels. These are significant numbers. If you consider that in the early 1980s, the tourist bed capacity in Turkey was less than that of Rhodes Island, you can see the incredible progress we have made.'
Şahin also pointed out that Turkey ranks third in the world in the number of Blue Flag beaches and marinas.
Noting that there are around 250 Blue Flag beaches in Antalya, Şahin said, 'We account for almost half of the total approximately 550 Blue Flags in Turkey.'
Şahin reminded that investments have been made in biological treatment plants by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for the sustainability of tourism, indicating that the infrastructure has been strengthened in this area.
Expressing hope for another successful tourism season next year, Şahin stated, 'Turkey has a lot more to take from the world tourism pie of 1 trillion dollars. We will go further. In terms of income, we are 4th in the world in tourist numbers and we are planning to enter the top 5 in revenues.'