Türkiye has just set a new souvenir spending record, leaving travel wallets across the globe gasping for air. For the first time ever, tourist spending on souvenirs jumped over the billion-dollar line in the first half of 2025.
Souvenir Shopping Spree by the Numbers
- Visitors spent $1.05 billion on souvenirs from January to June 2025
- That’s a jump of 15 percent compared to last year’s $904 million
- Total tourism revenue: $25.78 billion (January-June 2025)
- Year-over-year increase: 7.6 percent
- Visitor count: 25.53 million, up 1.7 percent
Tourists are not just coming for the views, they’re coming for the loot—shoppers on vacation can’t resist the urge to fill their suitcases with Turkish treats and trinkets. In the contest for your hard-earned cash, few sectors in Türkiye’s economy play the game as well as the souvenir stalls.
What are people hauling home? Picture a swirl of magnets that won’t fit on any single fridge, bags of textiles that will never look the same after the first wash, enough Turkish delight to ruin dental work, heaps of dried fruit, and carpets bigger than hotel rooms. Cities like Istanbul, Antalya, and Muğla are ground zero for this ongoing arms race of excess baggage.
Top Categories Ransacking Tourist Budgets
- Food and beverages: $5.43 billion
- Other goods and services: $4.57 billion
- Domestic and international transport: $3.54 billion
- Clothing and footwear: $2.69 billion
It’s hard to argue with piles of money, and Türkiye’s souvenir sales now stand out as a big earner in an industry already famous for breaking records (and backs, if you try to carry too many rugs).
Tourists keep flocking in with high hopes, empty bags, and a mission to prove baggage allowances don’t count on the return trip. Congratulations, Türkiye – your overpacked gift shops now hold a proud place in economic history. If you’re planning a visit, remember: real travelers shop until the customs officer says stop.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News