FX.co ★ Turkey’s Foreign Tourist Arrivals Slip in February, Turning Negative Year-on-Year

Turkey’s foreign arrivals declined in February 2026, reversing the positive momentum seen at the start of the year. Year-over-year, foreign visitor numbers fell by 2.08% in February, a marked deterioration from January 2026, when arrivals were still up 3.48% compared with the same month a year earlier.

The shift into negative territory suggests a cooling in inbound tourism demand after a relatively stronger January. Both figures are calculated on a year-over-year basis, comparing each month’s performance to the corresponding month in the previous year. The latest update, released on 23 March 2026, indicates that Turkey’s tourism sector may be facing emerging headwinds early in the year, underscoring the importance of upcoming spring and summer data for assessing the strength and resilience of the recovery in foreign arrivals.