Minister Bolat analyzes foreign trade data and tourism statistics – Latest Update
Minister Bolat Highlights Positive Trends in Turkey’s Foreign Trade and Tourism Sector
Minister Bolat recently shared his evaluation of the foreign trade data and tourism statistics for December 2024, as reported by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), through his social media account. According to the data, Turkey has shown significant improvements in its foreign trade balance and tourism revenue over the past year.
Bolat highlighted the success of Turkey’s foreign trade sector, noting that exports of goods increased by 6.2 billion dollars in 2024 compared to the previous year. He also pointed out that exports grew by 2.5 percent on a goods basis, while imports decreased by 4.9 percent, resulting in an improvement of around 24 billion dollars in the foreign trade deficit. This positive trend has contributed to the stability of the country’s money and foreign exchange markets.
The Minister emphasized that the country’s economic growth has become more balanced and sustainable thanks to the increase in exports and the decrease in imports. In 2024, exports from 31 provinces exceeded 1 billion dollars, with 55 provinces reporting an increase in exports. Turkey exported goods to 224 countries, with 53 of them receiving more than $1 billion worth of exports.
Furthermore, Bolat highlighted the significant growth in exports to countries within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), reaching a record level of 69.9 billion dollars in 2024. The manufacturing industry accounted for the highest value of exports, totaling 246.5 billion dollars, with a notable increase in medium high and high-tech product exports.
In terms of tourism, Bolat revealed that Turkey’s tourism revenue increased by 8.3 percent in 2024, reaching 61.1 billion dollars. The total number of visitors also rose to 62.2 million people during the same period.
Looking ahead, Minister Bolat reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to achieving the export target of 375 billion dollars set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He emphasized the importance of strengthening Turkey’s position in global trade through high-value added and innovation-based production, continuing to support export programs, commercial diplomacy initiatives, and foreign representative offices to sustain export growth.
Overall, the positive trends in Turkey’s foreign trade and tourism sectors reflect the country’s resilience and success in navigating challenging economic conditions in 2024.
