Turkey Tourism Shifts: From Shopping to Health and Dining

Turkey's tourism revenues are rapidly rebalancing toward health services and dining, while traditional shopping spend wanes.

Health Tourism: The New Profit King

Foreign demand for medical services surged 11% in Q2 2026, lifting revenue to $834 million. Procedures such as hair transplants and cosmetic surgery boosted per‑visitor spending by roughly 30%.

Shopping Decline: Sharp Drop in Apparel & Footwear

Tourist spending on apparel and footwear fell to $1.22 billion, a 22% decline; souvenir spending slipped 14% to $512 million. Together, they now represent just 32% of total tourism earnings.

Tourism Revenue Re‑Composition

■15.8 million visitors generated $15.66 billion in revenue.

■Dining expenditures reached $3.29 billion (21% of total).

■Health services contributed $834 million (5.3% of total).

■Shopping (apparel + souvenirs) totaled $1.73 billion (11% of total).

Immediate Market Implications

■Exchange rates may see heightened volatility as shifts in tourism spend affect the TRY‑USD pair.

■Domestic retail sector could revise its 3‑5% growth outlook downward due to reduced foreign shopper activity.

■Health‑tourism operators anticipate a 10‑15% investment boost, bolstering imports of medical devices and equipment.

Dr. Aslıhan Demir – This pivot in Turkey's tourism mix reflects inflation‑driven changes in consumer behavior. While health tourism offers a high‑value, dollar‑earning growth engine, the contraction in traditional retail spend poses short‑term challenges for the trade balance. Policymakers should expand incentives for medical infrastructure and implement measures to stabilize retail prices, ensuring the overall resilience of tourism revenues.