Turkey sees 65% rise in Chinese visitors in 2024

China’s ambassador to Ankara, Jiang Xuebin, said that Turkey attracted over 400,000 Chinese tourists last year.

Emphasizing that Turkey tourism centers are attractive to Chinese travelers, Jiang said, "Turkey appeals to Chinese tourists. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Turkey.

"In 2024, more than 409,000 Chinese tourists came to Turkey. Compared to the previous year, this represents a 65.1% increase, making China the fastest-growing market among international visitors," he told Anadolu Agency (AA).

Speaking to AA, the ambassador evaluated trade and tourism relations between Ankara and Beijing. He noted that Turkey has become a globally recognized tourism destination in recent years due to its rich history, diverse culture and numerous tourist attractions.

Jiang stated that many tourist regions in Turkey, including Cappadocia, are among the must-see places for Chinese tourists and said: "Remarkable and rich results have been achieved in the cultural and tourism cooperation between China and Turkey. Last year, a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation was signed between the two countries, facilitating the development of tourism infrastructure, increasing flight services, establishing online promotional platforms and organizing cultural performances. Recently, the civil aviation authorities of both countries significantly increased passenger flight rights."

"In the future, the two sides will deepen cooperation in areas such as history, culture, art and archaeology, further enhancing mutual understanding and encouraging more Chinese tourists to visit Turkey," he added.

Jiang also recalled that throughout history, the Silk Road has closely connected China and Turkey, laying the groundwork for friendly cooperation that has made history and that Türkiye is a natural partner of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

He also said that trade volume between the two countries has increased, and Turkey has become one of China's major trading partners, citing a positive trend in ties.

Jiang also emphasized that 10 years have passed since the intergovernmental cooperation agreement under the Belt and Road Initiative was signed and that both countries have benefited from the growing cooperation during this period. He added that China encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Turkey to help it achieve green development and rise in the global value chain.