Backpackers overspend versus the average tourist when visiting Turkey

BACKPACKERS coming to Turkey spend more money compared to the average tourist, contrary to popular belief that backpackers are “cheapos” that don’t like to cash out, research shows. Backpackers are generally young people, who go on long trips on a low budget and sometimes work during their travels.

Backpackers coming to Istanbul are mainly from Germany, Australia, France, America and New Zealand. Almost 56 percent are women, 44 percent are men and, 80 percent are single, nearly threequarters are under 30 and more than three quarters have a university education, according to statistics.

On average, they stay in Turkey for 11.5 days and six days in Istanbul. On the other hand, the average length of stay for all foreign tourists in Turkey is 4.3 days.

This means that the average length of stay of backpackers in Turkey is 2.6 times longer than the average tourist. They also spend an average of $972 per person, which is almost $300 more than the average tourist spends.

The most popular destinations preferred by backpackers in Turkey are Cappadocia, Gallipoli, Ephesus, Hierapolis, Antalya and Istanbul.

Tourism, in addition to closing 60 percent of Turkey’s current deficit, reflects positively on exports and foreign policy.

Around 80 percent of tourists coming to Turkey support the country’s EU membership, according to research carried out in Europe. On the other hand, 80 percent of those who have not visited Turkey oppose Turkey’s EU membership.