Turkey’s tourism numbers and foreign property market are showing a resurgence. Spot Blue International Property said the country welcomed 22 per cent more foreigners, year-on-year, in the first seven months of 2017. International tourists surpassed five million in July alone, showing a 46 per cent year-on-year increase, said Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, with Britons the third largest group (277,955), after Germans (680,616) and Russians (835,525). Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said the Antalya province was a star performer, recording a 60 per cent rise in tourist numbers during this period.

Kaputas beach in Antalya- Antalya province saw a 60 per cent rise in tourist numbers

“The signs are very encouraging after the downturn last year,” said Julian Walker, director at Spot Blue International Property. “Foreign visitors, but in particular Europeans, are regaining the confidence to visit Turkey. And the Turkish Government remains determined to hit its annual target of receiving 50 million tourists and generating $50 billion through tourism by 2023." Turkey’s foreign property market is also seeing an uplift in 2017, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜÄ°K), with sales rising 65.3 per cent in July compared to the same month last year.

TÜÄ°K’s July figures reveal Britons as the fifth largest group of foreign buyers in Turkey, behind the Gulf States of Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and Russia. Istanbul attracted nearly 31 per cent of foreign purchasers in July. Antalya was second, followed by Trabzon. Elsewhere, the Muğla Province, including Bodrum and Fethiye, remains a favourite with British buyers.

Bodrum in Muğla Province is a favourite for home buyers from Britain.

Antalya’s Mediterranean coastline resorts including Antalya city, Alanya, Belek, Side and Kalkan, are set to attract more than 10 million tourists this year. Antalya’s Governor Münir Karaloğlu confirmed that by mid-August, tourism numbers for the year had reached 6.5 million, representing a 65 per cent rise compared to the same period in 2016.

“Turkey can look forward to further upticks in tourism next year, thanks to efforts to appeal to Chinese visitors,” added Mr Walker. “A joint campaign between the Chinese and Turkish governments aims to attract one million Chinese tourists annually by 2018, a year that China has declared ‘Turkey tourism year’. The two governments have also collaborated to increase flights between the countries. Overall, these are encouraging initiatives that should benefit the country and its property market. And it helps when famous people choose Turkey for their summer holidays, as Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Secretary, and the Saudi royal family did this year.”

For more insight on the property market in Turkey and properties available to buy or rent, visit Spot Blue International Property.

For additional information contact Spot Blue International Property via the email and phone links below.

See also:

Buying a property in Turkey

Dine, sunbathe or relax al fresco at this hillside villa in Bodrum, Turkey

Where to buy in Turkey