Istanbul received 11.5 million foreign tourists in the first 8 months

Istanbul received 11,524,246 foreign visitors in the first 8 months of 2023. The number of foreigners arriving in Istanbul increased by 13.20 percent compared to the same period last year.

According to data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul received 1,747,611 foreign visitors in August, an increase of 4.9 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.

RUSSIANS ARE FIRST

While the Russian Federation had the highest number of foreign visitors entering Istanbul in August with 179,017 people, Germany was second with 127,486 people, Iran was third with 101,459 people and the United States was fourth with 81 thousand 257 people.

The United States was followed by Saudi Arabia with 74,664 people, England (United Kingdom) with 72,02 people and France with 61,850 people.

Among Arab countries, Saudi Arabia ranked first, Iraq second, Kuwait third and Algeria fourth among foreign visitors to Istanbul in August. Algeria was followed by Jordan, Morocco, Libya and Egypt.

THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS ARRIVING BY AIR WAS 1.7 MILLION

Istanbul Airport was the first choice of foreign visitors who arrived in Istanbul in August.

Istanbul airport, which welcomed 8 million 85 thousand 738 foreigners in the first 8 months of the year, was preferred by 1 million 235 thousand 473 foreigners in August. The share of Istanbul Airport in the total number of foreign visitors who arrived in Istanbul by air in August was 72.69 percent.

462,575 foreigners entered Sabiha Gökçen Airport in August. While Sabiha Gökçen Airport was the second border gate through which most foreign visitors entered, it constituted 27.22 percent of foreigners who entered Istanbul by air.

The number of foreign visitors arriving in Istanbul by air in August increased by 3.9 percent compared to the same month in 2022, reaching 1,699,549.

The number of foreigners who arrived in Istanbul by sea last month was 48.62 in August. The increase rate compared to the same month last year was 58.61 percent.

OCCUPANCY RATE 64.36 PERCENT

According to the latest accommodation statistics published by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the number of visits to facilities certified by the Ministry was 1 million 277 thousand 350 in July of this year.

Although a total of 3 million 1 thousand 528 overnight stays were made in these facilities, the average length of stay was 2.35 days.

The occupancy rate of accommodation facilities in Istanbul in July was 64.36 percent.