Antalya is not just Turkey’s most popular holiday destination — it’s one of the most visited cities on the planet. If you’re curious about just how popular it is, the numbers are genuinely staggering. Here’s a breakdown of the latest Antalya tourism statistics, from annual visitor totals to top source countries and average spending per tourist.
How Many Tourists Visit Antalya Each Year?
In 2024, Antalya welcomed a record 17.28 million visitors — the highest number in the city’s history. This represented an 8% increase compared to 2023, continuing a strong post-pandemic recovery. The figure includes 16.93 million direct foreign arrivals plus 352,754 transfer passengers passing through Antalya Airport.
For 2025, the target is to surpass 18 million visitors, and early data suggests the city is on track — with 16.3 million arrivals already recorded in the first ten months of 2025 alone, up 8% year-on-year.
17.28M
Total visitors in 2024 (record)
+8%
Year-on-year growth 2024
180+
Countries represented
$100+
Average daily spend per tourist
Top Nationalities Visiting Antalya
Antalya draws visitors from over 180 countries, but a handful of nations consistently dominate the arrivals figures. In 2024, Russians topped the list with 3.9 million visitors, followed by Germans at 3.52 million and British nationals at 1.57 million.
| Rank | Country | Visitors (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia | 3.9 million |
| 2 | Germany | 3.52 million |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 1.57 million |
| 4 | Poland | 1.1 million+ |
| 5 | Netherlands | Top 5 |
| 6–10 | Kazakhstan, Romania, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Lithuania | — |
See also: Where is the Best Place to Stay in Antalya?
Antalya’s Global Ranking
According to Euromonitor International’s ranking of the most visited cities in the world, Antalya placed among the global top destinations with approximately 19.3 million total visitors counted worldwide in 2024. In a previous ranking, Antalya placed fourth globally for international tourist arrivals — ahead of Paris — with only Dubai and a small number of other cities receiving more visitors.
To put this in perspective: Antalya has a population of just 2.36 million people, yet it receives more than seven times that number in tourists every year.
Peak Season and Visitor Distribution
Antalya’s tourism is heavily concentrated in the summer months, with July and August accounting for the largest share of arrivals. However, the city has been actively pushing to extend its season — spring and autumn are increasingly popular, and the Governor of Antalya has highlighted March, April, November, and December as genuinely excellent times to visit.
| Season | Months | Crowd Level |
|---|---|---|
| Peak season | June – August | Very busy |
| Shoulder season | April–May, Sept–Oct | Moderate |
| Low season | November – March | Quiet, good value |
See also: Which is the Rainiest Month in Antalya?
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Tourist Spending in Antalya
Average daily tourist spending in Antalya has risen significantly in recent years. The Antalya Governor confirmed that daily spending per visitor has increased from $70 to over $100 USD, reflecting both the growth in higher-end tourism and the rising cost of travel generally. All-inclusive resorts in the Lara and Kundu areas account for a large share of this spending.
Antalya Airport: One of Europe’s Busiest
Antalya Airport (AYT) is consistently ranked among the busiest airports in Europe during summer. It handles tens of millions of passengers per year and is a major hub for charter flights from across Europe and Russia. The airport has two international terminals and operates flights to hundreds of destinations worldwide.
See also:How Far is Antalya Airport from City Center?
Why is Antalya So Popular?
Several factors combine to make Antalya one of the world’s top holiday destinations. The city offers over 300 days of sunshine per year, a stunning Mediterranean coastline, world-class all-inclusive resorts, a remarkably well-preserved ancient Old Town (Kaleiçi), easy international flight connections, and excellent value for money compared to competing destinations in Southern Europe.
Ready to be part of these numbers? Explore the best tours and experiences in Antalya — from ancient ruins to boat trips and beyond.
👉 Best Antalya Tours & Experiences
See also: Where to Go in Antalya
See also: How Far is Antalya from Istanbul?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Antalya the most visited city in Turkey?
Istanbul typically leads Turkey’s visitor rankings overall, but Antalya is Turkey’s most visited beach and resort destination by far. In terms of international tourist arrivals specifically, Antalya consistently outperforms most other Turkish cities.
How does Antalya compare to other Mediterranean destinations?
Antalya consistently ranks ahead of many well-known European beach destinations in terms of raw visitor numbers. Its combination of value, weather, beach quality, and resort infrastructure gives it a strong competitive advantage over destinations like the Greek islands or the Spanish costas for package holiday travelers.
Is Antalya growing as a tourism destination?
Yes — strongly. Visitor numbers have grown every year since the post-pandemic recovery began, and 2025 is on track to set yet another record. The city is also actively diversifying beyond beach tourism into golf, medical, cultural, and sports tourism to attract visitors year-round.
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