Number of foreign tourist arrivals to Istanbul 2014-2023

In 2023, the number of international tourists visiting Istanbul peaked at 17.4 million. The number of foreign tourists arriving in Istanbul reached the second-highest value in 2019, at almost 15 million. Due to travel restrictions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Istanbul fell dramatically in 2020, decreasing by a third compared to the previous year. 

Air travel in İstanbul

After four years of construction, Istanbul Airport officially opened on October 29th, 2018, having replaced the Atatürk Airport from 2019 onwards. The airport also serves as the hub for Turkish Airlines. In 2023, Istanbul Airport saw approximately 76 million passengers pass through, which made it the second-busiest airport in Europe that year. The first place was taken by Heathrow Airport, located in London. In the same year, the second-busiest airport in the city, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, counted over 37 million air travelers, of which almost half were domestic passengers. 

Most visited museums

Considered as the economic, cultural, and historic capital, İstanbul offers numerous cultural activities for visitors. Hence, the largest city recorded the highest number of museums among all provinces in Turkey, with 86 public and private museums in 2022. That year, the Galata Tower became the most visited museum in İstanbul, welcoming over one million visitors. Built as a watch tower in the Byzantine period for the first time in the 13th century, the Galata Tower has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List since 2013.