Istanbul : Istanbul remains a top destination for international travellers, welcoming 8.5 million visitors during the first six months of 2024.

This marks a significant 8 per cent growth over the previous year's figures for the same period, according to data released by the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism.

In June 2024, Istanbul saw a slight yet encouraging increase in international tourism, with 1.64 million foreign tourists visiting the city. This figure represents a 1 per cent growth compared to the 1.63 million international visitors recorded in June 2023.

When looking at the broader picture, the first six months of 2023 saw Istanbul welcoming a total of 7.9 million foreign tourists, further solidifying its status as a key hub for international travellers.

The vast majority of tourists, totaling 1.58 million, arrived in Istanbul by air, while 55,737 chose to travel by sea.

Istanbul Airport emerged as the most preferred entry point, accommodating 1.16 million visitors, which constituted a significant 73.39 per cent of all air arrivals.

Russian tourists took the lead among international visitors in June, with a total of 171,633 arrivals, making up 10.48 per cent of the overall tourist numbers.

Following the Russian tourists, the United States accounted for 112,966 visitors, with Germany contributing 102,559 arrivals. Iran followed closely with 96,418 tourists and Saudi Arabia added 85,448 to the total.