Türkiye climbs 11 places as WEF highlights sustainable tourism model

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

ANKARA, Türkiye — Türkiye rose 11 places in the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index, reaching 36th place as its sustainable tourism model was highlighted as a country example.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Türkiye is managing tourism growth with an approach that increases economic benefits for people while protecting nature and cultural heritage. The country moved from 47th place in 2019 to 36th in 2026, according to the latest comparable data series cited in the report.

Ersoy says Turkish tourism is rising

Minister Ersoy, in a statement shared on his social media account, said Türkiye’s competitiveness in tourism continues to strengthen.

“Turkish tourism is rising, and our sustainable tourism program is becoming an example for the world,” Ersoy said, noting that the country’s progress in the WEF index reflects both growth and long-term planning.

He added that tourism growth is being managed with a model designed to generate broader social benefit. “We manage growth in tourism with an approach that provides more income for our people and protects our nature and cultural heritage,” Ersoy said.

From 47th place to 36th place

According to the WEF’s current and comparable data series, Türkiye ranked 47th in 2019 and 37th in 2024 before rising to 36th place in 2026.

The latest ranking marks a total rise of 11 places since 2019. Türkiye’s index score also increased from 4.1206 in 2019 to 4.3734 in 2026, representing a 6.1% improvement. Between 2024 and 2026, the score rose by 2.5%.

The improvement points to Türkiye’s stronger position in global travel and tourism competitiveness, particularly in areas linked to sustainability, socioeconomic impact and demand management.

Sustainable tourism model cited in the report

The report highlighted Türkiye as an example of how fast tourism growth can be managed through sustainability standards. The country’s approach was assessed in relation to local benefits, destination management and the protection of natural and cultural resources.

Türkiye’s National Sustainable Tourism Program, launched in 2022 in cooperation with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, was presented as a key step in this strategy.

The program focuses on reducing environmental impacts, protecting cultural heritage and ensuring that tourism’s social and economic benefits are more strongly reflected in local communities.

Socioeconomic impact shows strong improvement

Ersoy said Türkiye recorded one of the strongest improvements globally in the field of tourism’s socioeconomic impact.

“Our Sustainable Tourism Program was included in the report as a country example, while we recorded the second-highest improvement worldwide in the socioeconomic impact of tourism, with an 8.3% score increase,” he said.

The report also noted that Türkiye improved across all three indicators since 2024: the socioeconomic impact of travel and tourism, sustainability of travel and tourism demand, and environmental sustainability.

In addition to the 8.3% increase in socioeconomic impact, Türkiye recorded a 5.1% improvement in the sustainability of travel and tourism demand.

More than 2,650 facilities certified

The WEF report pointed to Türkiye’s certification system as one of the pillars of the country’s sustainable tourism strategy.

More than 2,650 accommodation facilities in Türkiye have received GSTC certification, according to the information cited in the report. The certification system is expected to become mandatory for accommodation facilities nationwide by 2030.

This model aims to align tourism development with environmental responsibility, heritage protection and stronger local economic participation.

Local benefit is central to the model

The report emphasized the importance of strengthening local economic, social and environmental gains while managing tourism growth.

Türkiye’s model was presented as an example of how destinations can address concentration in certain tourism areas while seeking to spread the benefits of tourism more widely. Increasing the share of local communities in tourism revenues and supporting quality of life in destinations were identified as important factors for long-term success.

Ersoy said Türkiye would continue working with all stakeholders in the sector to strengthen the country’s tourism competitiveness and make its success permanent.

The latest index performance places Türkiye’s tourism strategy not only within a growth framework, but also within a broader sustainability agenda focused on local benefit, environmental protection and cultural heritage.

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