Turkish-made hot air balloons attract orders from 11 countries

ANKARA

Turkish-made hot air balloons have gained international attention, with orders placed from 11 countries this year, Türkiye’s transport minister has announced.

“Turkish-made balloons, which carry thousands of tourists over Cappadocia every day, are now flying across different regions of the world. With our domestically produced balloons, we have strengthened both tourism and our country’s position as an exporter in aviation. This achievement is a tangible example of Türkiye’s aviation vision,” the Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said.

According to the minister, a total of 42 balloons have been exported to countries including Rwanda, Ghana, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Oman, Tanzania, South Korea, Japan, Mexico and Jordan.

Egypt accounted for the largest share with 23 balloons.

Turkish hot air balloons received type certification in 2019, officially recognizing them as the second civilian aircraft in Türkiye to receive such a certificate.

The first export occurred in 2020 to Rwanda, marking the first time a Turkish civilian aircraft was sold abroad.