Antalya welcomes over 6.25 million tourists in H1 of 2025

Antalya, one of Türkiye’s premier tourism destinations, welcomed more than 6.25 million visitors in the first six months of 2025, according to Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, Chairman of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB). The leading source markets were Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland.

“Russia remains the clear leader in choosing Türkiye and Antalya as its top destination,” Kavaloğlu stated.

Speaking on the broader challenges facing the tourism sector, Kavaloğlu noted, “We operate in a beautiful yet geopolitically difficult region. Tourism is a national sector that ideally should remain above politics, but ongoing conflicts and tensions in our surroundings have a direct impact on our industry.”

Despite these challenges, he emphasized the resilience of Antalya’s tourism industry: “As of June 30, arrivals surpassed 6.25 million—roughly on par with last year’s figures. We initially set a target of 18 million tourists for this year, but given the current climate, reaching or surpassing last year’s figure of 17 million will be a significant achievement.”

High season critical for annual performance

Kavaloğlu highlighted the critical importance of July and August for the sector’s profitability. “In July 2024 alone, Antalya welcomed around 2.8 million visitors. Reaching this figure again is a key goal. These two months account for more than 50% of our annual profits. Combined with June and September, they make up nearly 80–85% of our yearly profitability. Essentially, our performance during July and August will define the entire year.”

Changing guest Bübehavior poses new challenges

Despite matching last year’s arrival numbers, Kavaloğlu cautioned that not all tourists are staying in hotels. “Approximately 10–15% of visitors now opt for alternative accommodations, including tourism residences or their own properties. This shift impacts hotel occupancy rates, especially in certain areas, though overall Antalya still performs well.”

He also pointed out that average stays have slightly shortened compared to 2023, further affecting overnight stays and hotel revenues.

Holiday timing boosted June performance

Commenting on the strong performance in June, Kavaloğlu explained, “This June benefited from overlapping holidays such as Eid al-Adha and Germany’s Pentecost holiday (Pfingsten). Last year, the collapse of German tour operator FTI on June 3 significantly impacted bookings, and the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament in Germany also reduced German travel during mid-June to mid-July. This year, aside from the effects of war, we did not face major disruptions in June.”

Tourism resilience amid regional conflicts

Kavaloğlu underscored the enduring impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, particularly since Russia remains Antalya’s number one source market and Ukraine was formerly third.

“Any of our competitor countries facing even one of the challenges we are dealing with—let alone three, four, or five simultaneously—would take at least two years to recover. What sets us apart is the extraordinary resilience of our tourism industry,” he said. “This strength stems from the cooperation of investors, employees, public authorities, municipalities, and the central government.”

However, he warned of a difficult period ahead. “Tensions between Israel and Iran, along with ongoing violence in Palestine, present new risks. The continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict remains a major obstacle, especially given the importance of these markets for Turkish tourism.”

Optimism for late season

Looking ahead, Kavaloğlu expressed cautious optimism for the remainder of the year. “September and October look promising, and we expect the season to extend through the end of November, supported by favorable climate conditions.”