Russian Consul General: Over 2 Million Russians Visited Istanbul in 2024

More than 2 million Russian citizens visited Istanbul in 2024, surpassing the figures from the previous year. This was reported by Russian Consul General in Istanbul, Andrey Buravov, in an interview with TASS ahead of Diplomatic Workers’ Day, celebrated on February 10.

"Last year, over 6.7 million Russians visited Turkey, including more than 2 million who traveled to Istanbul, exceeding the numbers from the previous year. This makes Russian visitors the largest group from any single country," the diplomat stated.

In 2023, Russia also ranked first in terms of tourist arrivals in Istanbul, with 1.99 million Russians visiting the city.

Addressing recent measures by local authorities to strengthen migration control due to the significant number of foreigners in Istanbul, Buravov noted that these steps aim to regulate their stay in the city in light of Turkey’s socio-economic situation and efforts to combat illegal migration. "This has somewhat reduced the number of Russians who arrived in Istanbul some time ago. However, there’s no indication that these measures have had any significant impact on the overall number of Russians visiting Istanbul or Turkey as a whole for tourism, business, or private purposes," he said.

The consul general also extended his congratulations to his colleagues on Diplomatic Workers’ Day, recognizing the challenges many face in their work. "I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our colleagues, both in the central office and especially abroad. Many of them work in challenging conditions that demand not only professional skills and knowledge but also exceptional resilience and principled stances when facing psychological and sometimes other forms of pressure. In the current circumstances, this holiday holds special symbolic significance as we collectively focus our efforts on achieving the strategic objectives set by Russian leadership in foreign policy," Buravov emphasized.

He further highlighted that, despite the unique nature of their work—focused on protecting the lawful rights and interests of Russian citizens and legal entities—the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul continues to strengthen bilateral relations, including cultural ties, while conducting outreach on key foreign policy issues.

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Photo: Ben Kerckx/Pixabay

Based on materials from TASS