Kaan Kavaloğlu, Chairman of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), shared that the total number of visitors to Antalya from the start of the year until the first week of September has reached 12 million, marking an increase of approximately 700,000 to 800,000 compared to the same period last year.
Decrease in length of stay affects hotel occupancy
However, he noted a significant decline in the average length of stay in Antalya, with guests now staying nearly one day less. This reduction has negatively impacted hotel occupancy rates.
Kavaloğlu emphasized that Russia remains Antalya's top tourism market, followed by Germany, the UK, and Poland. Despite challenges such as the bankruptcy of FTI, the European Championship, and the Paris Olympics, which affected tourism, he expressed confidence in navigating a difficult 2024 season successfully.
Daily arrival of 75,000 tourists expected in September
Looking ahead, Kavaloğlu projected that September would see a daily influx of around 75,000 tourists to Antalya. He added that October is also expected to bring a strong flow of visitors from Germany and other European countries, thanks to school holidays. Kavaloğlu predicted that October could be one of the best months ever for Turkish tourism.