Tourism industry representatives and cultural tour organizers state that it is worrying that the entrance fees for historical sites in Turkey have been increased for the third time in a short time. According to tourism professional Recep Yavuz, as of March 1, 2024, the ruins will open their doors to visitors with the highest entrance fees in history. While this situation is breaking records in the tourism sector, it also causes the prices of the ruins to reach record levels. Third Increase in Ruins Entrance Fees in One Year
Details and New Applications
In the information provided to tourism agencies by Sicpa Turkey, it was stated that as of March 1, 2024, entrance fees for foreign guests will be determined in Euros and payments will be made at the daily exchange rate. Additionally, it is stated that the 20% discount for groups will continue for agencies. It was noted that museum entrance fees are determined by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
With this wave of price hikes, the price increase for the ruins was made for the third time in just one year. While the first increase occurred on April 1, 2023, by an average of over 100%, prices were increased again on August 1, 2023, and then on March 1, 2024, and converted to Euros.
Within the scope of the new regulations, entrance fees for foreign tourists will be determined in Euros, some historical sites will be able to be visited together with the Experience Museum and will be combined into a single price.
Industry Reaction
The tourism sector is concerned that these increases and new practices will have a negative impact on the number of visitors. Agencies organizing cultural tours state that they are in a difficult situation in the face of these developments and that they have repeatedly gone to Ankara and tried to explain the situation to the authorities.
The cost of a one-week classical cultural tour has risen significantly with these increases. Especially for tours organized for Far Eastern and South American guests, the cost of the ruins reached around 200 Euros without discount and 160 Euros with discount. This could lead to increased tour costs and potentially weakening the cultural tour content.
Tourism sector representatives state that these price increases and new practices may harm Turkey’s cultural tourism potential and cultural tours will be difficult. It is a matter of curiosity how visits to historical sites will be affected towards the middle of this year.
Here is the full article shared by Tourism Professional Recep Yavuz on his blog…

ENTRANCE FEES TO ARTICULATIONS INCREASED FOR THE 3RD TIME IN A YEAR
I know that what you are about to read will not change anything. Because I am a witness to the efforts and struggles on this issue. Unfortunately, nothing has changed and as of today (March 1, 2024), our historical sites are opening their doors to foreign guests with the highest prices in their history. While tourism is breaking records, prices of ruins are also breaking records.
According to the information provided to the agencies by Sicpa Türkiye;
1. New archaeological site entrance fees will be applied as of March 1, 2024,
2. New fees for foreign guests will now be determined in Euros and payment will be made at the daily exchange rate,
3. Agencies continue to offer 20% discount for groups,
4. It is stated that museum entrance fees are determined by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey.
Accordingly, before the end of 1 year, the price of the ruins has been increased for the third time;
*There was an average increase of over 100% on April 1, 2023,
*The increase was made on August 1, 2023,
*On March 1, 2024, the prices were increased again and converted into euros.
However, this time not only the price was increased, but also some new applications were implemented. The new regulations that will be implemented from today are as follows:
1. The entrance fee for foreign tourists will be Euros and payments will be made at the daily exchange rate.
2. Some ruins will be visited together with the Experience Museum,
3. Some ruins will be combined and a single price will be valid.
When all these were implemented together, our prices for the ruins have skyrocketed as of today. I won’t go too far back,
For example;
– Ephesus ruins, which were around 20 € on April 1 last year with that day’s exchange rate, are 40 € today.
– Hierapolis/Pamukkale ruins, which were 20 € on the same day last year, are 30 € today,
– While Galata Tower was 17 € in the same period last year, it is 30 € as of today,
– While Troy Ruins were 10 € last year, this year the Museum was added and 27 €,
– Topkapi Palace, Harem and Agia Irene are 45 € with addition.
– Göreme Ruins went from 15 € to 20 €.
Of our 351 ruins, 155 can be visited free of charge and 196 can be visited for a fee. The biggest price increase occurred in the most demanded and visited ruins. Let’s take a look at them:
Agencies organizing cultural tours were put in a very difficult situation in the face of this development, which was reported in December and implemented in March. Individually, they repeatedly went to Ankara and tried to explain their troubles to the authorities. But there was no result.
The increase that occurs for a cultural tour is not like that.
Let’s start from a classic one-week Cultural tour:
For example, especially in the tours of Far Eastern and South American guests who start their tour via Istanbul; There are ruins of Hagia Sophia, Topkapı, Göreme, Zelve/Paşabağ, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Troy. The current cost of this tour to the ruins is around 200 € without discount and 160 € with discount. However, the cost of this tour was half of this on April 1 last year.
Meeting this increase is only possible by reflecting it on tourists. However, it is of course not possible to reflect this to the tourists who have been sold and are on the road. In addition, the cost of the ruins, which is up to 160 €, is a very large expense item and means a significant increase in the price of the product. Everyone in this business is well aware of the difficulties experienced in passing even small increases to the guest. In this case, those who organize Cultural Tours will consider reducing the cost by reducing the number of ruins, which may lead to a weakening of the content of the tours and a decrease in the number of ruins visited, and therefore a decrease in the revenues of the ruins.
Don’t decision makers know these? Of course, they know it very well and these issues have been explained to them many times by the Agencies. Of course, we all want our country’s values to be given their due. For this reason, we are trying to increase Cultural Tours so that tourists can travel 1500-2000 km and get to know the country, rather than sleeping in all-inclusive hotels. However, it is now very difficult to organize tours that are already carried out under difficult conditions at such high costs.
Let me ask you a question: ‘How many of the 15.5 million tourists coming to Antalya do you think visit a historical site during their holiday?’ You will not believe it, but unfortunately this rate does not reach 10%. However, we have very valuable and beautiful ruins right next to every holiday resort. However, these ruins are visited almost exclusively by a small group of people who come to our country for the purpose of Cultural Tours and by tourists who visit our country by ships. These new regulations and price increases will be a significant obstacle to increasing this mass. Because with these prices, we exceed the average prices of ruins in the world. Very few ancient cities in the world have a price of €40.
We will all observe the reflection of these price increases, which will put a strain on cultural tours, on visits to historical sites towards the middle of the year.