Turkish Hotel Occupancy Dips in June as Domestic Demand Softens

Turkey's hotel occupancy rate in June slipped to 52.23%, down from 57.8% in the same month last year, according to data from the country's culture and tourism ministry. The 5.57-percentage-point drop came alongside a month-on-month rise from 49.01% in May, pointing to a seasonal pickup in travel activity. Foreign tourists generated 34.52% of total hotel occupancy in June, while domestic travellers accounted for 17.71%. Average stays were 3.39 nights for international visitors, 1.95 nights for Turkish guests, and 2.71 nights overall.

Ankara travel agent Aysenur Oztekin said the decline is mainly explained by weaker domestic demand and a shift in the structure of foreign tourist flows. Despite strong interest from international visitors, that was not enough to offset the downturn in the home market, she said. According to Oztekin, Turkish families are increasingly limiting holiday spending because of higher prices, choosing shorter trips or skipping hotel stays altogether. Foreign visitors remain the main source of occupancy, but their numbers are insufficient to fully compensate for the domestic weakness.

She also noted growing price competition from other Mediterranean destinations, which is pushing Turkish hoteliers to compete harder for overseas guests. In 2025, Turkey posted a record 63.9 million visitors from abroad and tourism revenues of $65.2 billion, but this year the market is facing weakening domestic demand and stronger regional competition.