Pakistani investors have shown consistent interest in Türkiye's coastal and metropolitan apartment markets, often with an eye toward short-term rental income to supplement long-term appreciation. Cities such as Istanbul, Antalya, and Bodrum have historically offered attractive yields for daily and weekly lets aimed at tourists. Since 2024, however, Türkiye has tightened its regulatory framework around short-term rentals, and Pakistani buyers considering this strategy need a clear, current understanding of what is and is not permitted before committing capital.
The New Licensing Regime
Under amendments to Türkiye's short-term rental law, anyone offering a residential unit for stays of under 100 days must obtain a permit from the relevant provincial authority, generally administered through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in coordination with local governorates. This applies whether the unit is rented directly by the owner or managed through a platform such as Airbnb or Booking.com. Listing a property without a valid permit exposes the owner to fines and, on repeat violations, potential closure orders. For a foreign investor managing a property remotely, this makes proper documentation and a reliable local operator essential rather than optional.
Building Consent : A critical and often overlooked requirement is that short-term rental use must be approved by the building's condominium (kat malikleri) assembly, generally requiring unanimous consent from all unit owners in the building. This is a significant departure from the informal practice many investors were used to, where short-term letting simply happened without any building-level authorization. Buildings with active resident populations, particularly outside dedicated holiday developments, are increasingly refusing this consent, which can materially affect a unit's rental strategy after purchase.
Zoning and Building-Type Restrictions
Not every residential building is eligible for short-term rental licensing. Properties in buildings zoned strictly for permanent residential use, and units within certain housing developments governed by restrictive management plans, may be excluded regardless of owner intent. Purpose-built holiday resort complexes, serviced apartment blocks, and buildings specifically designed with hospitality-style management in mind are far more likely to qualify smoothly. This distinction should shape site selection from the outset: a Pakistani investor targeting short-term rental yield should prioritize developments explicitly marketed and structured for that use, rather than assuming a standard residential unit can be converted later.
Practical Implications for Yield Assumptions
The tightened framework has two direct effects on investment underwriting. First, the pool of legally short-term-rentable inventory has shrunk, which has supported occupancy and daily rates in compliant buildings, particularly in Antalya's resort corridors and select Istanbul districts near the historic peninsula and Bosphorus waterfront. Second, investors relying on informal or unlicensed arrangements face real downside risk: enforcement has increased, platforms are being pressed to verify permit numbers before allowing new listings, and non-compliant units can lose rental income entirely with little notice. Any yield projection presented to a Pakistani buyer should explicitly state whether it assumes a licensed short-term rental structure or the more conservative long-term lease alternative, since the two produce materially different return profiles and carry different regulatory exposure.
Due Diligence Steps Before Purchase
Before committing to a unit with short-term rental income as part of the investment thesis, Pakistani buyers should confirm three things in writing: that the building's management plan and condominium assembly permit short-term use, that the specific unit type is eligible for a tourism accommodation permit under current provincial rules, and that any existing income figures quoted by a seller or agent reflect licensed, documented rental activity rather than informal arrangements that may not transfer or persist under the buyer's ownership.
A Note on Residency Pathways
Property acquisition in Türkiye can intersect with residence permit eligibility, and in limited cases with citizenship thresholds, but these pathways should be evaluated separately from rental yield strategy. Structuring a purchase primarily around short-term rental income requires its own diligence track, distinct from any residency or citizenship planning that may run in parallel.
For Pakistani investors, the short-term rental regulatory shift is manageable but non-negotiable: it rewards buyers who select the right building type and secure proper licensing from day one, and penalizes those who assume informal practices from a few years ago still apply. A local advisory partner who can verify building eligibility and permit status before purchase is the most effective way to protect projected returns.