Tourism in Antalya eyes 17 million visitors amidst international obstacles
In the heart of Turkey's Mediterranean coast, Antalya continues to attract tourists from around the globe, despite facing challenges such as global inflation and regional conflicts.
According to the latest projections, Poland's visitor numbers in 2026 are expected to remain flat. However, Antalya, Turkey's Mediterranean resort city, has revised its 2025 target to 17 million visitors, down from an initial 18 million, due to these same external factors.
By July 2025, Antalya had already received 2.7 million tourists that month, though this represented a slight decrease of 0.77% compared to July the previous year. In the first half of 2025, Antalya airport passenger numbers were stable around 14.5 million, showing no significant year-over-year change. Antalya Airport set a record with 230,002 passengers in a single day in August 2025, indicating a high traveler influx and robust infrastructure support.
The stable currency is a challenge for Antalya's tourism sector, but the focus for 2026 contracts is on keeping prices competitive with smaller increases than in past years. The aim is to preserve a great cost-benefit for consumers amid mild European inflation, with no double-digit increases.
The tourism sector in Antalya attracts visitors from approximately 100 countries, with flights from nearly everywhere within four hours of Europe. The top four markets for Antalya tourism remain unchanged, with Russians remaining the largest group of visitors, considered invaluable. As of the current year, over 1.5 million visitors have come from the U.K., and Germany's visitor numbers in 2026 are expected to remain similar to the previous year. The Benelux region, particularly the Netherlands and Belgium, is stable in terms of visitor numbers.
Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, president of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Union (AKTOB), stated that reaching last year's 17 million visitors would be considered a success given the current geopolitical issues. He noted a temporary slowdown in early July but reported a surge in demand during the peak season from domestic and international markets, including Turks living in Europe, Russians, Germans, and Brits.
Kavaloğlu believes that if the Russia-Ukraine war ends, Antalya could potentially reach its original visitor targets again. He also noted that the U.K. is considered to have growth potential for family holidays, potentially outshining Spain.
Iran and Israel have fewer visitors to Antalya, while Kazakhstan has fewer visitors compared to previous years. Antalya aims to reach 4 million visitors from Germany, 2 million from the U.K., and for Russia to return to its 2019 visitor peak of 6 million.
Despite the challenges, Antalya has maintained competitiveness without losing ground, despite sharp price hikes post-pandemic. As of early August, Antalya had welcomed over 9 million tourists, similar to the same period last year. Ukrainian visitors, particularly those in Europe, are coming back in higher numbers.
Kavaloğlu signaled another challenging year ahead for the tourism sector in 2026, with talks already underway. However, with record-breaking passenger numbers and a focus on maintaining competitive pricing, Antalya remains optimistic about its future as a leading tourist destination.
Antalya, Turkey's Mediterranean resort city, aims to attract more travelers to its shores, proposing a revised target of 17 million visitors in 2025, down from an initial 18 million, despite ongoing global challenges such as inflation and regional conflicts. In the pursuit of capturing the attention of travelers worldwide, Antalya offers a lifestyle that caters to a myriad of preferences, ensuring a memorable and cost-effective vacation experience.