Turkey Experiences an 8.5 Percent Decline in the British Tourism Market
While outbound air traffic from the UK generally grew in the first half of 2026, Turkey fell behind its Mediterranean rivals and became the only country to lose market share.
In the January-June 2026 period, international air traffic originating from the UK grew by 0.3% to reach 120.6 million passengers, while Turkey experienced an 8.5% drop in the market, falling behind its Mediterranean rivals.
General Market Situation
In the January–June 2026 period, international air traffic originating from the UK grew by 0.3%, reaching a total of 120.6 million passengers.
While growth continued across the overall market, Turkey struggled to get its share of this pie and experienced an 8.5% decline in the British market.
Situation of Rivals in the Mediterranean
While other rivals in the Mediterranean basin continue to rise in the holiday preferences of the British, Turkey's lagging behind stands out.
Spain reached 22.26 million passengers with a 5.1% increase, Italy reached 8.02 million passengers with an 8.0% increase, and Greece reached 3.38 million passengers with a 6.1% increase.
Decline in Tourism Centers
The loss of British tourists was felt noticeably in Turkey's most popular holiday resorts, with sharp declines in main destinations.
Bodrum dropped to 137 thousand with a 19.6% loss, Dalaman to 618 thousand with a 17.4% loss, and Antalya to the 1.21 million level with a 13.2% loss.
Competition and Sector Comments
The data shows that British tourists have not given up on traveling, but have directly changed direction, and the problem is not in demand but in competition.
Sector representatives interpret this picture as a problem of price, competitiveness, and positioning in the market.