British Ambassador Jill Morris discloses this year’s British tourist estimate for Turkey
Jill Morris, the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Ankara, has shared her evaluations regarding tourism relations with Turkey. Morris summarized her remarks as follows:
“More than 4 million British tourists will visit Turkey this year, and we expect a record-breaking number. British citizens constitute the third-largest tourist group visiting Turkey. This fact demonstrates not only the strategic relations and strong trade partnership between our countries but also the very strong bonds between our peoples. It also highlights Turkey’s fantastic allure as a tourism destination. In 2018, the number of British tourists visiting Turkey was 2.3 million, which increased to over 2.5 million in 2019. The global impact of COVID-19 negatively affected tourism in 2020 and 2021, but rapid recovery was observed afterward. In 2022, the number of British tourists exceeded 3 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, Turkey was visited by 3.81 million British tourists, setting a new record. This year, we expect to break another record with over 4 million tourists.
What attracts British citizens to Turkey is your country’s rich culture, natural beauty, wonderful cuisine, and renowned Turkish hospitality. Besides Istanbul, holiday destinations along the coastline are quite popular among the British. Turkey has a lot to offer, and the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism is working to diversify the country’s allure, including different regions. The majority of British visits go smoothly, but these visits provide an opportunity for us to thank our Turkish partners for their excellent cooperation when we need to address any issues.
