Turkey’s tourism revenue hit an all‑time high in the first nine months of 2025, rising 5.7% from a year earlier to $50 billion, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has said.
Speaking in parliament during budget debates, Ersoy said foreign visitors’ average nightly spending climbed to $116, reflecting progress toward attracting higher‑spending tourists.
He noted Turkey now has 17 Michelin‑starred restaurants, nearly 19,000 certified sustainable accommodation facilities, and a growing global profile in gastronomy.
Ersoy highlighted archaeological work across 65 provinces, with 255 excavation sites and more than 15,000 artifacts uncovered this year.
He said UNESCO World Heritage sites in Turkey have risen to 22, with 79 more on the tentative list.
Restoration projects included 101 cultural assets so far in 2025, with Ayasofya undergoing its most comprehensive work since Mimar Sinan.
The minister said museums and heritage sites drew nearly 31.8 million visitors by November, while library membership reached 7 million.
He added that state theaters staged 237 productions in the 2024‑25 season, attracting a record 2.27 million spectators, and cinema support totaled 490 million lira.
Ersoy also addressed the deadly April fire at Bolu’s Grand Kartal Hotel, offering condolences and stressing that ministry officials had authorized investigations before court rulings.
He said audit findings were mostly procedural and corrective measures are underway.