The number of foreign visitors to Türkiye's popular coastal city of Antalya has reached 15 million in 2024 as of October figures, according to a sector representative on Wednesday.
Speaking at the organization's monthly meeting, Hakan Saatçioğlu, president of the Turkish Professional Hotel Managers Association (POYD), said that the season has been successful for the resort city, as the number of tourists soared 7% on an annual basis.
"According to airport statistics in the region, the highest number of visitors came from Russia, at 3.25 million, followed by Germany with 2.75 million, the U.K. with 1.3 million, and Poland with 1.1 million,” he said, referring to the figures as of Oct. 16.
Saatçioğlu added that the number of tourists in Antalya can reach the 17 million target by the end of the year.
Antalya, recognized for its year-round warm weather and numerous beaches stands out as one of most sought-after destinations in the country, alongside Istanbul.
It has been particularly favored by Russian and German tourists, with the overall number of arrivals increasing consistently each year.
The sector representatives have earlier voiced expectations to host some 17 million tourists this year, which would mark a new record.
The city is also set to host a major tourism fair, dubbed Antalya Tourism Fair (ATF) for the sixth time between Oct. 23 and Oct. 25.
Tourism is one of the key sectors of the Turkish economy as the country is positioned among the top five most visited destinations by international tourist arrivals.
The country last year welcomed 56.7 million visitors and officials aim to lift this figure to 60 million this year.
