Türkiye Aims for 350K Indian Arrivals by 2025

_{Photo: AFP}

Türkiye achieved a notable milestone in tourism by welcoming a record-breaking number of 2.7 lakh Indian tourists last year, surpassing the figures from both 2022 and 2019, as revealed by Onur Gözet, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Türkiye, in an interview with ET.

Expressing optimism, Gözet outlined the ambitious goal of attracting 3.5 lakh Indian visitors in the coming year. The estimated 2.7 lakh Indian tourist arrivals in 2023 represented a remarkable 20% increase over the figures recorded in 2022. In 2019, Türkiye had welcomed 2.3 lakh Indian tourists.

To strengthen ties and boost tourism further, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, Türkiye Tourism and Promotion Agency, and the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) collaborated to organize a comprehensive six-city roadshow across India, commencing from New Delhi.

While official figures for the past year were yet to be released, Gözet emphasized the strategic importance of India as an emerging source market for Türkiye. The aim was to position India among the top ten source markets within the next two to three years. Gözet also highlighted ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to streamline the visa application process for Indian travelers.

Recognizing the pivotal role of transportation in tourism, Gözet underscored the frequency of flights between India and Türkiye. Turkish Airlines operated 14 flights per week from Delhi and Mumbai, while Indigo mirrored this frequency. Gözet expressed the intent to collaborate on increasing the number of flights, emphasizing the significance of robust transportation connections in fostering tourism between the two nations.