Türkiye prepares for Nevruz, expects influx of Iranian tourists

As Nevruz celebrations near, Türkiye becomes the first place among the countries preferred by Iran for their festive activities.

The country expects an influx of Iranians the most during the two-week Nevruz holiday, sector representatives have said.

Iranian tourists are preparing to spend the Nevruz period between March 21 and April 1 in Türkiye. The initial rush of tourists will arrive from the Kapıköy border gate in the eastern province of Van on March 17.

While Van, Istanbul and the northeastern province of Trabzon are especially preferred, close to 250,000 Iranian tourists are expected throughout the country.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 2.5 million Iranian tourists came to Türkiye annually. These arrivals have reached their normal course since 2022. In 2024, the target is set to host over 2.5 million tourists from Iran alone.

According to the latest January data announced by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, 212,000 Iranian tourists arrived in Türkiye in January.

Cevdet Özgökçe, the chair of the Eastern Anatolia Regional Representative Board of the Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TÜRSAB), said that as a region, they pay much attention to Iran and promoting here and that they have received their reward.

“We are expecting around 110,000 tourists to Van for 20 days. There is more than 4,000 bed capacity, but they are insufficient for this period. The fairs we have recently attended in Iran also show that interest will be high this year as well,” he added.

Pointing out that Iran is one of the countries that provide Türkiye with the most important tourism income, Müberra Eresin, the president of the Turkish Hoteliers Association, said that they expect the number of tourists coming from the region to increase throughout 2024 and that the Nevruz period will be the best period that will contribute to it.

“This vibrancy will have a positive effect on occupancy in Istanbul and Van hotels. The spending levels of Iranian tourists also exceed $1,000 per person on average, which is above the average in Türkiye,” she concluded.