Domestic tourism spending falls in Turkey in Q1

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) - Amid the worldwide collapse in tourism due to the coronavirus pandemic, domestic tourism spending in Turkey fell 41.9% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced Wednesday.

Residents spent 4.6 billion Turkish liras ($671 million) on trips this January-March, compared to 7 billion liras ($1 billion) in the same quarter of the previous year.

"The highest decreases were other expenditures – sports, entertainment, education, jewellery, gold, silver, carpets, rugs etc. – with 67.9%, trip expenditures made before trips – clothing, medicines, bags, cameras, film, etc. – with 61.6%, and accommodation expenditures with 61.0%,"

The first quarter data also showed that tourists took 6.8 million trips, down 38% on an annual basis.

Domestic trips with one or more than one overnights fell 43.5% compared to the same quarter of the previous year, standing at 8 million trips.

The average expenditure per trip was 510 Turkish liras (some $74) from January to March.

The primary purpose of trips was visiting relatives, accounting for a 74.7% share, followed by travel, leisure, and holiday with 11.4%, and health with 7.4%.