Türkiye’s popular tourist hub Antalya, which recently broke a record for the number of tourists hosted even before the calendar year came to an end, braces for a busy New Year’s and Christmas season driven by strong interest, particularly from Germany and the United Kingdom, the sector representatives said on Monday.
The occupancy rates of open facilities are expected to exceed 90% during the holidays, they said in an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA).
Antalya, known for its favorable climate and numerous beaches, has emerged as one of the world’s prominent tourism destinations and continues to host tourists from various countries, even in December.
The city, which broke a record with some 16.6 million tourists it welcomed in the first 11 months of the year, is busy preparing for Christmas and New Year’s.
The resort city has also received the 2025 “Tourism City of the Year Award” of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced last week.
“This unique city, which has hosted countless civilizations from ancient times to the present, continues to blend its cultural richness with natural beauty, offering visitors an unforgettable experience,” Ersoy said on X.
Antalya becomes the first Turkish city to achieve such an award, he noted, adding that it is also one of the world’s most sought-after tourism destinations.
While reservations from both domestic and international markets continue, efforts to decorate hotels, organize concerts and plan entertainment programs are underway.
The city, often called a jewel of the Turkish Riviera, aims to close the year with 17 million tourists and expects high demand during Christmas and New Year’s.
Christmas, New Year’s boost
Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, the head of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), told AA that the challenging winter conditions make Christmas and New Year’s vital sources of income for tourism.
Kavaloğlu mentioned that reservations are going well.
“We’re receiving holiday bookings on Dec. 20 for Christmas, Dec. 31, New Year’s, and Jan. 6, Orthodox Christmas from Europe, Russia and the domestic market. Therefore, we anticipate significant activity from Dec. 20 to Jan. 10,” he said.
“Apart from Europe, Russia is also sending a substantial number of reservations for both New Year’s and Jan. 6,” he added.
Kavaloğlu noted that preparations are ongoing in hotels, particularly focusing on decorating, lighting and adding color for the Christmas and New Year’s period when European guests are in high numbers.
For the domestic market, he explained that decorations, events and programs featuring artists are being organized.
“Our hotels have prepared New Year’s programs where both Turkish and European guests can come together and enjoy themselves. The tourism season will be crowned with Christmas and New Year’s holidays,” he added.
Highlighting that they receive more bookings due to longer holiday periods in Europe, Kavaloğlu noted that domestic tourists are choosing Antalya alongside ski resorts.
“Hotels open in Antalya during the New Year’s period will achieve occupancy rates of over 90%,” he noted.
High demand from Germany, U.K.
Hakan Saatçioğlu, president of the Professional Hotel Managers Association, recalled that 2024 was the year they attracted the most tourists and broke records noting that they are gearing up for the New Year’s with this momentum.
According to bookings, Saatçioğlu expects 2025 to be a promising year.
“Since October, there has been strong interest from abroad, especially for the New Year’s period. Open facilities will have occupancy rates exceeding 90%. There’s particularly high demand from Germany and the U.K. for New Year’s,” he pointed out.
Ali Kızıldağ, the general manager of Calista Luxury Resort Hotel in Antalya’s Belek, remarked that both domestic and international tourists are interested in welcoming the new year through various activities and attending entertainment programs in the city.
Drawing attention to the rich programs prepared by the hotels, Kızıldağ said: “We will have wonderful entertainment programs catering to various cultures.”
“It will be a lively New Year’s celebration.”
