Turkey has introduced a visa-free policy for people from six countries, including the United States, Canada, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
The main impact of the visa exemption will be on travels from the Gulf countries. Holidaymakers from those nations mostly visit Istanbul and the provinces in the Black Sea region. We will probably see more tourists in those cities.
Murat Toktaş, the president of the Black Sea Tourism Operators Association (KATİD) cited by Hürriyet
Turkey has made a bold move to boost tourism and reinforce international relationships by allowing citizens from six countries to visit without needing a visa. The decision, announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and published in the Turkish Official Gazette on Saturday, December 23, demonstrates Turkey’s dedication to nurturing global connections.
Turkey’s introduction of an online visa system represents a significant leap forward in travel convenience. Eligible travellers can now apply for visas electronically, typically receiving approval within 24 hours. The e-Visa, valid for a single entry of up to 90 days, simplifies the application process through a swift online exchange and ultimately delivers the visa directly to the applicant’s email once the application and payment are processed.
Friday, December 22, marked the release of the latest tourism statistics by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, showcasing impressive figures. Turkey saw a total of 52.7 million visitors in the first 11 months of the year. Here are some noteworthy highlights:
- Tourist arrivals from Saudi Arabia surged by over 70% in the period of January to November, reaching 784,000 from the previous year.
- Over the course of the first 11 months of 2023, Turkey hosted 57,000 visitors from Bahrain and 127,000 holidaymakers from the UAE.
- The number of tourists from the U.S. experienced a significant increase of 33.4% year-on-year, totalling 1.3 million.
- Canadian tourists also showed substantial annual growth of 27%, with a total of 237,000 visitors.
Starting immediately, people from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), Oman, the United States (U.S.), Bahrain, and Canada can enter Turkey without a visa. This change is meant to make travelling easier and promote tourism. It allows citizens from these countries to visit Turkey for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.