ABSTRACT: This study investigates the impact of tourism revenues on Türkiye’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 1950 and 2023 by analyzing long-term trends, structural changes, and the influence of economic and political events. These findings indicate that the contribution of tourism to GDP in Türkiye has grown significantly over the past few decades, albeit with notable fluctuations caused by domestic crises and global shocks. Between 1950 and 1980, the share of tourism revenues in GDP remained minimal, reflecting the sector’s underdeveloped structure. The period from 1980 to 2000 marked a substantial increase in tourism’s economic contribution, driven by liberal economic policies, infrastructure investments, and international promotion. In particular, 1994 and 2002 mark turning points, with tourism revenues exceeding 3% and 5% of GDP, respectively. However, crises such as the 1999 earthquake and the 2001 financial meltdown caused temporary declines. From 2000 to 2019, tourism maintained a strong position in the economy, peaking in 2019 at 5.64% share of GDP. Events such as the 2016 political crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 severely affected the sector, but the recovery between 2021 and 2023 was rapid, culminating in a record USD 55.8 billion in tourism revenues in 2023. The study concludes that factors such as infrastructure development, tourism diversification, sustainable tourism policies, and global competitiveness significantly influence tourism’s economic impact. For developing countries like Türkiye, focusing on high value-added tourism segments and enhancing resilience through sustainability are critical for ensuring the sector’s long-term contribution to GDP. Strengthening data collection and adopting adaptive policy frameworks are also recommended to optimize tourism’s role in national economic development.

KEYWORDS – GDP, Tourism Revenues, Türkiye