President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan unveiled the newly expanded Antalya Airport on Saturday, declaring it a world-class gateway with the muscle to host up to 82 million passengers annually, thanks to a sweeping public-private overhaul that cost taxpayers nothing.
“This is not just an airport,” Erdoğan said. “It’s a global front door for Türkiye – capable of greeting guests from every corner of the earth.”
The revamped airport, completed under a 927 million euros ($1.05 billion) public-private partnership, was delivered without a single Turkish lira spent from the state’s coffers.
In return, Erdoğan said, the government will collect 8.55 billion euros in rent – VAT included – over a 25-year lease with no passenger guarantees.
Erdoğan hailed the deal as a triumph of economic vision, saying it reflected “the strength of our tourism and our determination to grow without bowing to the West.”
“Our posture is upright,” he added. “Those who kneel before the West will never understand the stance we take.”
Türkiye’s aggressive airport expansion continues apace.
Erdoğan announced that two more hubs – Yozgat and Bayburt-Gümüşhane – are currently under construction, which will raise the country’s total number of active airports from 58 to 60.
The president dubbed Antalya the “tourism capital” of Türkiye and called the project a beacon of modern engineering and national pride.
“This isn’t just concrete and steel,” Erdoğan said. “It’s vision in motion – an invitation to the world.”
