Turkey's tourism income amounted to US$ 2 452 213 000 in January-March 2021. The first-quarter revenue fell 40.2% compared to the same period last year amid worldwide travel restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak.
While 68.8% of total tourism income (excluding GSM roaming and marina service expenditures) was obtained from foreign visitors, 31.2% was obtained from citizens resident abroad, reads the data of the TurkStat.
Visitors organize their travel individually or with package tour. While individual expenditures constituted US$ 2 296 854 000 of the total tourism income, US$ 155 359 000 of tourism income was obtained by package tour expenditures.
In this quarter, apart from health expenditure, all expenditure types decreased compared to same quarter of the previous year. While, health expenditure increased by 4.7%, sports, education, culture expenditure decreased by 79.5%, package tour expenditures decreased by 71.0% and tour services expenditure decreased by 62.4%.
The average expenditure per night of the foreigners who stayed overnight was US$ 64 and average expenditure per night of Turkish citizens resident abroad was US$ 44.
The number of departing visitors decreased by 53.9% in Q1 2021, compared to same quarter of previous year and declined to 2 600 468 persons. While 70.2% of visitors was foreign with 1 826 227 persons, 29.8% of them was Turkish citizens resident abroad with 774 241 persons.
Foreign visitors visited Turkey mostly for "travel, entertainment, sportive and cultural activities" with 54.9%.
The secondary purpose of visit was "visiting relatives and friends" with 23.3% and the third was "business (conferences, meetings, assignments etc.)" with 8.8%. Turkish citizens resident abroad visited mostly for "visiting relatives and friends" with 66.6%.
Tourism expenditure which is the expenditure of the Turkish citizens resident in Turkey and visited abroad, decreased by 70.2% compared to same quarter of previous year and declined to US$ 236 423 000. While US$ 236 141 000 of total expenditures was individual expenditures, US$ 282 000 of tourism expenditures was package tour expenditures.
In this quarter number of Turkish citizens visited abroad decreased by 83.9% compared to same quarter of previous year and declined to 281 322. Average expenditure was US$ 840 per capita.
