ANKARA, Türkiye / AsiaWire.IO / – According to its 2027 central government budget draft, Türkiye aims to rank as the sixth-highest-earning tourism nation worldwide. Anadolu Agency reported that the draft proposes a $244.5 million allocation for tourism, an increase from $188.4 million this year. This expanded budget aligns with a revenue goal of $70 billion set for 2027. Under this plan, funding for the sector would grow by nearly 30%.
This allocation aligns with Ankara’s Medium-Term Programme, known as the MTP, which establishes tourism revenue targets of $70 billion in 2027, $73.5 billion in 2028, and $78.5 billion in 2029. The plan envisions increases of $3.5 billion and then $5 billion in the subsequent two years, suggesting that by 2029, annual tourism income could be roughly 20% higher than the record achieved last year.
Tourism revenue reached an all-time high of $65.2 billion last year. Ankara initially aimed for $68 billion in 2026 but later revised the goal down to $65 billion, citing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and Middle Eastern tensions as reasons. The new 2027 target exceeds the revised 2026 figure by $5 billion and is approximately $4.8 billion above last year’s record.
Projected revenue ranking to ascend to sixth place
The projections are supported by global tourism revenue data from the World Tourism Organisation. Türkiye is expected to rank seventh this year and move up to sixth in 2027 as revenue increases. If the country meets its $70 billion target and climbs the rankings, later forecasts suggest it could reach fifth place by 2028. Each step would place Türkiye among a smaller group of the world’s top tourism earners.
Since 2017, Türkiye has rapidly advanced in global tourism standings, moving from 15th to seventh in tourism revenue. The number of total tourist arrivals increased from eighth to fourth place, with projections indicating that Türkiye will maintain its fourth-place position in arrivals from 2027 through 2029. These rankings place the country among the world’s most visited destinations.
Goals for WEF Travel and Tourism Index to reach 33rd by 2029
The government also aspires to improve Türkiye’s position in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index, or TTDI. Last year, the country was projected to be ranked 36th in the index. Ankara aims to climb to 35th in 2027, then 34th in 2028, and ultimately 33rd in 2029. The index measures factors and policies that promote the growth of national travel and tourism sectors.
The combined targets for revenue, arrivals, and index rankings are designed to reinforce Türkiye’s standing as a leading global travel destination. The increased 2027 budget provides the sector with additional resources to pursue these ambitions, following a year when regional conflicts dampened tourism expectations. Final figures for 2026 will reveal how close the sector comes to its revised $65 billion goal.