Tourexpi
Türkiye's balloon tourism aims to attract 2M passengers with new routes
Balloon
tourism in Türkiye could attract nearly 2 million passengers by 2030 with the
introduction of new routes, according to the head of the Association of Turkish
Travel Agencies (TURSAB).
In
an interview with Anadolu, Firuz Baglikaya said Transportation and
Infrastructure Abdulkadir Minister Uraloglu recently announced that 933,000
people took hot air balloon tours in 2024.
He
mentioned that the Century of Tourism project, launched in Burdur, southwestern
Türkiye, aims to promote year-round tourism across all regions of the country
while attracting high-income visitors.
"As
part of the project, we’ve focused on promoting balloon tours over Lake Salda,
a natural wonder, to a wider audience through travel agencies," he said.
Lake
Salda, in Burdur, is famed for its turquoise waters and white shores, earning
it the nickname "Türkiye's Maldives."
According
to NASA, Salda is thought to be the only lake on Earth that has similar
minerals and deltas to those found at Mars’ Jezero Crater, thought to have once
been the site of a sprawling lake.
Baglikaya
explained that 71 hot air balloon operators authorized by Türkiye's Civil
Aviation Directorate currently do flights across eight regions, with 80% of
these tours taking place in the picturesque Cappadocia region.
Hot
air balloon tourism in Türkiye, mostly centered in the Cappadocia region, has
become a leading attraction for visitors seeking adventure and scenic views.
Known
for its fairy chimneys, rock formations, and ancient cave dwellings, Cappadocia
provides a dramatic backdrop for sunrise flights.
The
activity, which began gaining popularity in the 1980s, is now a cornerstone of
the region’s tourism economy.
Image
Credit: © AA
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