Turkey Tourism Outlook 2026: Survey Reveals 62% Optimism Despite Soaring Operational Costs

Published on December 6, 2025

The Turkish tourism sector is approaching 2026 with a dual mindset: cautious optimism driven by resilient demand from key markets, balanced by serious concerns over crippling inflation and operating costs. A recent survey conducted by the Association of Mediterranean Hoteliers and Tourism Entrepreneurs (AKTOB) reveals a picture of an industry that has regained its post-pandemic confidence but now faces a new, more complex set of economic pressures.

Hoteliers and tourism professionals widely expect visitor numbers to increase next year, but the central challenge remains the same as in 2025: how to maintain profitability and competitive pricing against a backdrop of soaring expenses.

The 2026 Outlook: Moderate Growth Driven by Loyalty

The prevailing mood for the upcoming year is positive, but grounded in realistic expectations. The majority of the sector expects moderate, steady growth rather than a massive boom.

• Positive Sentiment: A solid 62% of the sector expects an increase in tourists in 2026 compared to 2025. Most anticipate growth levels ranging between 5% and 10%. Only a small fraction (7%) foresees a decrease, while 31% expect demand to hold stable.
• Market Leadership: Europe remains the most critical and loyal source of demand, with 50% of professionals anticipating increased tourist flows from this market. Following closely are Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), where nearly half of participants expect growth.
• Domestic Resilience: The domestic Turkish market is also showing strong potential, with 50% of respondents counting on more local travelers, highlighting the importance of internal tourism for stability.
• Booking Trends: The confidence is visible in the booking window. Nearly half of the participants predict an increase in pre-bookings ranging from 5% to over 20%. Furthermore, digital channels are set to dominate, with 81% of the sector anticipating a surge in online sales.

This optimism stems from the sector’s general resilience, which helped it mostly recover its pre-pandemic footing, making Turkey a robust global destination that benefits from its high-quality offerings and excellent value, largely fueled by the weaker Turkish Lira.

The Major Roadblocks: Costs, Competition, and Staff

Despite the anticipated increase in visitor numbers, the survey highlights a significant set of challenges that threaten to undermine profitability:

Inflation and High Operating Costs: For 2026, high inflation tops the list of risks. In 2025, a majority (58%) already identified high operating costs as their main headache. These pressures—from energy and supply chains to labor—are squeezing profit margins, even as room rates rise.

Price Competition: Turkey’s traditional selling point of offering exceptional value is being tested by increasingly intense price competition from rival destinations. Hotels must adopt flexible pricing and value-oriented premium options to stay competitive without entering a price war that could compromise service quality.

Labor and Staffing: The perennial struggle to find specialized and qualified personnel remains a major issue for 2026, creating operational pressures in a service-intensive industry.

Geopolitical and Regulatory Issues: Geopolitical tensions and the rising impact of short-term rentals (like unregulated Airbnbs) are cited as additional “thorny issues” that increase market instability.

The Industry’s Wish List: A Call for Structural Reform

To sustain growth and alleviate the pressure on businesses, the hoteliers have a clear message for the government, specifically the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA): Policy must evolve to support year-round sustainability.

• Tax Relief: A significant segment (21%) of respondents explicitly requested tax relief measures to help mitigate soaring operating expenses and safeguard profitability.
• Year-Round Promotion: The clearest demand, raised by a majority of professionals, is the need for continuous, 12-month promotion of Turkey, moving away from focusing solely on the peak summer season. The industry wants targeted, market-specific strategies aimed at filling the shoulder and winter months, which is key to employment stability and investment returns.
• Structural Upgrades: There is also a strong call for upgrading the structural standards of the sector and opening new international markets to diversify risk and capitalize on global travel trends.

In conclusion, the mood in Turkish tourism is one of resilience and preparedness. The loyal demand from European and Russian tourists, coupled with strong digital adoption, sets the stage for a positive 2026. However, whether that growth translates into sustainable health for the local business community depends entirely on whether policymakers can enact the necessary tax relief and year-round marketing reforms needed to support a thriving, profitable sector under persistent inflationary pressure.