Tourism income of Turkey amounted to US$ 12 059 320 000 in 2020, down from US$ 34 520 332 000 from the prior year. The main share, or over 66% of foreigners have visited Turkey for travel, entertainment, sportive and cultural activities.
During 2020 income from tourism in Turkey decreased by 65.1% and declined to US$ 12 059 320 000 compared to the previous year. While individual expenditures constituted US$ 9 998 320 000 of the total tourism income, US$ 2 060 999 000 of tourism income was obtained by package tour expenditures, reads the latest data of TURKSTAT.
In the fourth quarter of 2020 tourism income decreased by 50.4% and declined to US$ 3 913 758 000. While 75.4% of this income (excluding GSM roaming and marina service expenditures) was obtained from foreign visitors, 24.6% was obtained from citizens residing abroad.
Visitors organize their travel individually or with package tour. While individual expenditures constituted US$ 3 335 869 000 of the total tourism income, US$ 577 890 000 of tourism income was obtained by package tour expenditures.
All expenditure types decreased during Q4 2020 compared to same quarter of the previous year. Package tour expenditure decreased by 72.2%, tour services expenditure decreased by 68.4% and sports, education, culture expenditure decreased by 67.3%. In this year the highest annual decreases were in tour services expenditure.
Average expenditure per night during Q4 of the foreigners who stayed overnight was US$ 67, average expenditure per night of Turkish citizens residing abroad was US$ 35.
During 2020, while average expenditure per night for total overnight visitors was US$ 61, the average expenditure per night of foreigners was US$ 70, average expenditure per night of Turkish citizens resident abroad was US$ 44.
The number of departing visitors during the last quarter of 2020 decreased by 57.7% compared to same quarter of previous year and declined to 4 582 698 persons. While 79.5% of visitors was foreign with 3 642 367 persons, 20.5% of them was Turkish citizens resident abroad with 940 331 persons.
In 2020, number of departing visitors decreased by 69.5% compared to the previous year and declined to 15 826 266. While 80.3% of visitors was foreign with 12 708 265 persons, 19.7% of them was Turkish citizens resident abroad with 3 118 001 persons.
While foreign visitors visited Turkey mostly for "travel, entertainment, sportive and cultural activities" with 66.1%, during 2020 Turkish citizens resident abroad visited mostly for "visiting relatives and friends" with 66.2%.
Tourism expenditure decreased by 74.9% in 2020 compared to previous year and declined to US$ 1 104 545 000. While US$ 953 881 000 of total expenditures was individual expenditures, US$ 150 664 000 of tourism expenditures was package tour expenditures.
As for the number of Turkish citizens traveling abroad during 2020 decreased by 76.8% compared to previous year and declined to 2 242 864. Average expenditure was US$ 492 per capita.
