Turkey allows visa-free travel for Chinese tourists

Turkey has removed visa requirements for Chinese visitors as it seeks to expand its tourism market.

Chinese citizens will be granted visa-free entry for short-term travel and transit stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period, the Daily Sabah newspaper reported, citing a presidential decree.

The decision, published in the official gazette, will enter into force from January 2.

In August 2025 China’s ambassador to Ankara, Jiang Xuebin, said Turkey had become the fastest-growing market for Chinese tourists, with more than 400,000 visitors in 2024, a 65 percent year-on-year surge.

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said in October 2025 that tourism revenue surpassed $50 billion from January through September, a 6 percent year-on-year increase.

Further reading:

• Rising costs take the shine off Turkish tourism
• Turkey’s domestic tourism sector heats up
• Turkey’s tourism rebounds in August with Russian influx

Ankara targeted 65 million visitors and $64 billion in tourism revenue in 2025. In 2024, arrivals hit a record 53 million, surpassing the previous high of 49 million in 2023.

Tourism contributes 10 percent to the country’s gross domestic product and supports 5 percent of total employment.