Turkish official eyes closer tourism ties with China as Chinese visitors surge

Yachts compete during the 24th Bosphorus Cup sailing event in Istanbul, Türkiye, Sept. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Lei)

ISTANBUL, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye is strengthening tourism cooperation with China through enhanced air connectivity and targeted promotional campaigns, seeing China as its fastest-growing global market, Turkish Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Nadir Alpaslan said.

Despite the geographic distance, Türkiye and China share "a friendship deeply rooted in the historical Silk Road," Alpaslan told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview.

Data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism showed that Chinese arrivals jumped from 248,100 in 2023 to 409,700 in 2024, a 65-percent increase, making China Türkiye's fastest-growing market.

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, Türkiye welcomed 313,859 Chinese visitors in the first nine months of 2025, nearly doubling the same period in 2023.

Alpaslan said the momentum reflects Türkiye's growing popularity among Chinese travelers.

He also highlighted significant progress in air connectivity, with weekly passenger flights between the two countries increasing from 21 to 49 in May.

"With this expansion -- the first in nearly 15 years -- a new era has begun in air transport relations between Türkiye and China," he said, adding that talks are underway with Chinese airlines to launch new routes.

He said Türkiye has ramped up promotion in the Chinese market through media campaigns, influencer collaborations, and partnerships with Turkish Airlines and major Chinese travel platforms, particularly focusing on lesser-known destinations in the Black Sea region.

The "Romantic Türkiye" campaign, featuring Chinese actors, has successfully showcased destinations like Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Izmir to Chinese audiences through cinematic travel stories, he noted.

"The friendly bonds between Türkiye and China will grow even stronger through tourism" with "various joint initiatives," he added.

Photo taken on Oct. 28, 2025 shows a view of the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Xinhua/Liu Lei)