Türkiye ranks first globally in annual television episode production and remains among the top three exporters of TV content. Export revenues exceeded $1 billion in 2025, reflecting the sector’s growing commercial significance
Turkish TV dramas, long celebrated as a cultural export, are increasingly being leveraged as a promotional tool to boost Türkiye’s tourism economy. With a global audience approaching one billion viewers across nearly 170 countries, these series have cemented Türkiye’s position as one of the world’s top television exporters, according to Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.
Beyond entertainment, Turkish dramas now function as immersive marketing platforms, offering international audiences continuous exposure to Türkiye’s landscapes, lifestyles, and social culture. Tourism professionals argue this familiarity lowers psychological barriers to travel, generating interest long before visitors set foot in the country.
Speaking in Istanbul in late December, Ersoy highlighted a shift from conventional destination marketing. “Tourism promotion is no longer limited to visual showcases of landmarks. It increasingly depends on emotional engagement, narrative depth and lifestyle representation,” he said.
Türkiye ranks first globally in annual television episode production and remains among the top three exporters of TV content. Export revenues exceeded $1 billion in 2025, reflecting the sector’s growing commercial significance.
For tourism planners, however, the critical metric is behavioral impact. Viewers who follow long-running series often develop emotional attachments that translate into travel intent. Locations featured on screen increasingly attract tourists over traditionally marketed destinations.
Kaan Sahinalp, an Ankara-based tourism consultant, said inquiries are now focusing on specific filming locations rather than general attractions. “This indicates a shift from destination awareness to destination recognition,” he noted. “Travelers arrive with preconceived images and expectations shaped by storylines they followed for months or even years.” He added that the effect is particularly strong in Latin America, Arab countries, and Southern Europe, where Turkish dramas dominate prime-time schedules.
Türkiye has begun integrating scripted storytelling directly into its tourism promotion, creating short-form cinematic content for digital platforms that blends narrative fiction with destination branding. Murat Toktas, a destination marketing professional, emphasized that “today’s travelers are influenced less by slogans and more by stories. A compelling series can shape perception, generate curiosity and trigger demand in ways traditional campaigns struggle to achieve.”
Destinations prominently featured in popular dramas often see measurable increases in online searches, bookings, and local economic activity shortly after broadcast. Analysts also argue that the series help reshape Türkiye’s international image. “By portraying a society that blends tradition with modern urban life, the series offer a nuanced narrative that contrasts with one-dimensional or crisis-driven portrayals abroad,” said movie analyst Omer Keskin.
As Turkish TV dramas continue to intersect with tourism strategy, experts predict their impact on Türkiye’s tourism economy will grow, enhancing the country’s global profile while strengthening the commercial and cultural value of its creative industries.
