Firuz Baฤlฤฑkaya, the head of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TรRSAB), unveiled ambitious plans for Istanbul’s tourism, targeting a whopping 20 million foreign visitors.
Baฤlฤฑkaya highlighted the city’s global appeal, citing tourist influx from over 200 nations, with Russia, Germany, the US, and the UK among the leading contributors to the tourism surge.
In a recent statement, Baฤlฤฑkaya reported an estimated 17 million tourists in 2023, showcasing Istanbul’s allure as a cultural and gastronomic haven. He emphasized the city’s culinary scene, citing 76 Michelin Guide-listed restaurants and a robust museum culture that attracted 5.8 million visitors across 86 museums in 2022.
Istanbul’s Cruise and Medical Tourism
The city’s maritime tourism also thrived, with 219 cruise ships docking in Istanbul during the first 11 months of 2023, welcoming over 392,000 visitors. Baฤlฤฑkaya highlighted efforts to streamline tourist experiences, including plans to expedite travel from the port to the historic peninsula, bypassing traffic congestion and optimizing visitors’ time.
Beyond traditional tourism, Baฤlฤฑkaya underscored Istanbul’s burgeoning status as a medical tourism hub, boasting 188 hospitals, 79 medical centers, and 435 certified clinics and outpatient facilities. The number of travel agencies specializing in health tourism has surged to 590, reflecting the city’s growth in this niche sector.
With Istanbul’s multifaceted attractions and concerted efforts to enhance visitor experiences, the city is poised to solidify its position as a global tourism hotspot, embracing cultural, gastronomic, maritime, and medical tourism with ambitious targets on the horizon.
