Hotel occupancy rate up in January

The hotel occupancy rate across Turkey reached 61.9 percent in January, up 6.4 percent from the same month last year, a hotel association said.

According to the Destination Performance Report prepared by the data company STR for the Turkish Hotel Association (TÜROB), the average hotel room price also soared to 68 euros (nearly $73.7) with an annual increase of 8.9 percent.

The sector's revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased to 42 euros ($45.5) from 36.2 ($39.2) euros, said the report.

In January, the occupancy rate was 69 percent in Turkey's world-famous touristic city of Istanbul with an annual increase of 9.7 percent. The average hotel room price in the metropolis hit 82.8 euros ($89.7), rising from the level of 76.6 euros (nearly $83) in January 2019.

However, the occupancy rate in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya in January contracted 0.5 percent annually from 57.1 percent.

The average hotel price room in Antalya soared to 50.7 euros, indicating an annual increase of 6.8 percent.

Excluding big cities of Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, and Antalya, the average room prices in the Turkish cities were steady in January, according to the report, hitting 51 percent with an annual increase of 2.1 percent.

The average hotel room price in these Anatolian cities was around 41.6 euros (around $45) in January.

The number of foreigners visiting Turkey jumped 16.11 percent on a yearly basis in January, the country's Culture and Tourism Ministry said on Feb. 24.

Almost 1.8 million foreign visitors entered the country last month, the ministry data showed.

Istanbul continued to be Turkey's top tourist draw, attracting nearly 57 percent of all visitors, around 1 million.