Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has announced that, starting from January 15, foreign nationals will be required to pay an entrance fee to visit Hagia Sophia.
During a press conference held at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) to discuss various topics, Minister Ersoy stated that according to tourism data for the first 9 months, the number of visitors had increased from 40.2 million in the previous year to 45.2 million by the end of September.
Minister Ersoy emphasized that Turkey had consistently shown an increase in tourism every month compared to previous years, saying, “Our priority is not the number of visitors but our goals for per capita overnight income and total income.”
He also drew attention to the average length of stay in tourism, providing the following information:
“In 2022, there were 10.1 overnight stays in the first 9 months, with an annual average of 10.3. In 2023, it is expected that there will be 9.5 overnight stays in the first 9 months, with an estimated annual average of 9.8 overnight stays. There is a decrease in the average length of stay compared to the previous year. The main reasons for this are the economic crisis and the impact of high inflation worldwide after the pandemic, leading tourists to shorten their vacation durations. Additionally, the number of Turkish citizens residing abroad visiting Turkey is quite high. There is also the fact that the share of Turkish citizens residing abroad in the number of visitors is decreasing.” (https://www.trthaber.com)
