UEFA Champions League Final Boosts Tourist Expenditures in Türkiye, Reveals Mastercard Analysis…

Payment technology pioneer Mastercard has analyzed tourist expenditures via card payments for the period covering June and July. The analysis highlighted that the weekend of the UEFA Champions League final match, which was held in Istanbul on June 10, was the period with the highest expenditure over the two months.

According to data prepared by Mastercard, 46% more tourist spending occurred on the weekend of June 9-11, which included the day the final was played in Istanbul, compared to the same weekend the previous year, and 33% more than the previous weekend. When the sectoral distribution of expenditures was examined, the highest increase compared to the previous year was seen in cafe and restaurant expenses. It was determined that tourists who came to Türkiye for the final match stayed in Istanbul for an average of 3 nights and made a total expenditure of around 323 Euros.

British Preferred Muğla, Italians Chose Izmir

The study revealed that British tourists traveling to Istanbul for the big final were ahead of Italian tourists in terms of average spending, the number of overnight stays, and the rate of visiting other cities in Türkiye. While the tourists who spent the most in Istanbul were from England and Italy, the highest increase in spending excluding the countries participating in the final was observed among Brazilian and Mexican tourists. It was observed that tourists who came to Istanbul for the final also visited other cities during the same period, where the British preferred Muğla and Italians chose Izmir.

First Choice for Long Holidays is Southern Locations

37% of the card payments made by tourists visiting Türkiye last year took place during the summer. In June and July of this year, the period with the most expenditure was the week of July 3-9 when the holiday season took place. During the summer, the most spending was again made by tourists from Germany and England, while the country showing the most increase in spending compared to last summer was Saudi Arabia. 

When the sectoral distribution of tourist expenditures in Türkiye during the summer period was examined, it was observed that the sectors of accommodation, restaurants, and fuel increased their share of total expenditures. The shares of health and jewelry sectors decreased during the same period. When the expenditures were examined based on city distribution, it was observed that Antalya, Muğla, and İzmir increased their share in total expenditures during the summer period. On the other hand, it was revealed that the highest annual growth in terms of city basis was seen in Istanbul due to the impact of the UEFA Champions League final.