TURKEY’S TOURIST FIGURES ON THE RISE

TUROB Chair Timur Bayındır attributes Turkey's success to its "continuation of serious investments in order to utilize the nation's tourism resources in the best manner possible. Our joint efforts to increase the number of tourists that visit Turkey and the nation's tourism revenue continue with the Ministry of Tourism as well as other tourism establishments, states Bayındır."

In 2011, tourism revenue reached 1.030 billion US dollars, which was a 3.9 percent increase compared to the 927 billion US dollars figure from the year prior. The number of tourist entries in 2011 also increased by 4.6 percent (983 billion). In terms of spending in 2011 America had the highest spending rate at 5.7 percent. Europe followed with 5.2 percent, Asia and the Pacific came next with 4.4 percent. Africa showed an increase of 2.2 percent while the Middle East was the sole region to record a loss at -14 percent.

In terms on international tourism spending in 2011, Europe came in first with 45 percent at 463 billion dollars. The Asia and the Pacific followed with 28 percent and 289 billion dollars. America had a 19 percent share with 199 billion dollars. The Middle East had a four percent share at 46 billion dollars, leaving Africa behind with its three percent increase at 33 billion dollars. In 2010 the amount spend on international transportation was 170 billion dollars, whereas in 2011 that figure went up ti 196 billion dollars. The total spent on international tourism and transportation overall in 2011 was 1.2 trillion dollars.

Turkey came in sixth in a list of international tourist entries, with 29 million tourists, leaving England behind. While France maintained its leading position in terms of visa entries with 79 million, the nation came in third in spending at 54 billion dollars. America on the other hand came in first on spending with 116 billion dollars; it took the second spot with 62 million visited. Spain is second in spending with 60 billion dollars, whereas the nation is fourth when it comes to entries with 57 million tourists.
China is third in tourist entries with 58 million and is fourth when it comes to tourist spending at 48 billion dollars. Italy takes fifth place in both tourist entries with 46 million and spending with 43 million dollars. Turkey has moved up from seventh to sixth place when it comes to tourist entries and is 12th in spending.
A number of nations in the Middle East experienced significant difficulties due to the regional unrest whether or not they were directly involved. Syria suffered a -41 percent difference in tourist entries, while Egypt followed with -32 percent, followed by Lebanon -24 percent, Palestine with -15 percent and Jordan with a -13 percent drop. Saudi Arabia on the other hand recorded an extremely impressive 60 percent increase in visiting tourists.