Destination Management Report 2022

Running Head: Destination Management
Destination Management
Report
System04104
10/6/2019

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Introduction
Turkey is a beautiful Islamic country in the middle of Eastern Europe and Western
Asia. Turkey is known for its historic beauty, but from last five years, the numbers of visitors
in the country has been dramatically decreased. The purpose of this report is to analyse the
current scenario of Turkey tourism and find out best target market for the tourism
development. This report also analyses the cultural issues in Turkey that clashes with the
culture of international visitors. The report helps to understand the suitable strategy for the
Turkey tourism to attract visitors and tourist from existing target market and provide them
excellent experience of tourism to enhance the image of the country in the world.
Overview of the Turkey Tourism
Turkey is a beautiful country, which is known for its historic architecture and
beautiful culture. The country has variety of historical sites and large numbers of seaside
resorts along its Mediterranean and Aegean Sea coasts that are the attraction point of tourists.
The country is also known for its culture, spa, and healthcare facilities and trends. The culture
of the country is showing the shadow of diverse culture such as ancient Greek, Persian,
Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. However, the country officially known as the
‘Republic of Turkey’, that shares the borders in East with Iran and Armenia, in the West with
Bulgaria and Northwest Greece, in South with Syria and Iraq. The estimated population of
the country is 74.93 million, which includes various ethnic groups such as Kurdish,
Armenians, Greeks, Zazaki, etc. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 2018).

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(Source: East Mediterranean International Tourism & Travel Exhibition, 2019)
From last four years, it has been observed that a dramatic decline reported in the
numbers of visitors in Turkey because of some terrorist attacks. According to a report,
approximately 40 million people had a visit in Turkey in 2015 while this numbers were
decreased by 28.5% and it has been recorded that in 2018 only 28.2 million people visited
Turkey (Smith, 2018). The heavy declined in number of visitors is a major concern for
Turkey government because the government earns a huge amount of money from its tourism
industry. Turkey shares its border with Syria and Iraq and large numbers of terrorist and
militants operating their activities in these regions that have direct impact on the Turkey
tourism. The large numbers of people do not want to visit any of these countries including
Turkey because of safety reasons. The fear of loss of lives in people in this Eurasian country
is on high level and it is the major reason of decline in Turkey tourism (Jamal, Griffin & Raj,
2018). Apart from this, the dominance of Islamic culture in the country with some different
perception and mentality against the Western countries is the major reason of declination in
Turkey tourism sector.

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Emerging Trends in Consumer Travel Pattern
Every people want to enjoy the life and see the natural beauties or historical sites for
fun and enjoyment. The major reason behind visiting in a country is too enjoy and entertain
life. However, safety and security of tourists in Turkey is a major concern after 2016 Bomb
blasts and because of the lose approach of government about terrorism is also a major reason
of declining in Turkey tourism (Ozdemir & Met, 2012).
(Source: East Mediterranean International Tourism & Travel Exhibition, 2019)
People want to visit at that place where they can experience a better hospitality
services with unique adventurous activities. However, Turkey has to develop its hospitality
sector to provide best services to the visitors or tourists who are looking for some fund and
beautiful experiences in the country. The country needs to create some fun activities and
sports for people, provide them freedom to explore the historic places, and allow them to
enjoy their own culture rather than bounded them in local Islamic culture (East
Mediterranean International Tourism & Travel Exhibition, 2019).

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(Source: East Mediterranean International Tourism & Travel Exhibition, 2019)
The large numbers of millennial enjoy their life in a destination where they can see
the historic places or some natural beauty and Turkey is a best option for this. However,
Turkey is an Islamic country where large numbers of terrorists groups are active including its
neighbour countries where Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a major terrorist group
operates its terrorist activities in the region. Most of the people want to enjoy foods and testy
dishes in the destination where they visit. Turkey should focus on promoting its cuisines for
the people who love to visit in the country (Jamal, Griffin & Raj, 2018).
The other thing that is crucial to note that the modern world is linked with the social
media and a single bad act in the country can destroy the whole image of Turkey in the
world. It has been seen that most of the people who loves tourism activities or sea beaches
wants to visit in Turkey but the cultural difference of people and hate in heart of Islamic
people about to the Western people is a major concern and large numbers of European people
avoid visit in the country (Özdemir, 2016).

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Cultural Issues and Strategies
The cultural difference is one of the important keys for the tourism development.
Culture should be carefully considered by the Turkey to become as a best tourism destination.
Turkey is an Islamic country where the religious views of people are more rigid and strict
about their own culture while they believe the western culture is opposite to their culture
(Özdemir, 2016). Most of the countries do no provide freedom to the women and they
assume that women should be in the house or not the matter of public appearance
(Moghavvemi & Musa, 2018). The thinking of the people is different from other part of the
world and other religions. However, still majority of Muslim people love to visit Turkey
rather than European or Asian country’s people. However, in various reports it has been
found that Turkey is partially successful to draw the attention of Muslim people. The cultural
sites, cuisines, social backgrounds, Islamic heritage, and culture of the country all suited for
the Islamic countries and their people. Apart from this, the type of accommodation and health
tourism is also suited to the Muslim people rather than Christian, Hindu, of Catholic religion
people. The rules and regulations of the country are also very strict and some of the laws are
against the culture of other religion of countries (Battour, Hakimian, Ismail, & Boğan, 2018).
The cultural difference and religious fanaticism of Turkey is the major issue in its
tourism sector development. Today’s is the time of globalisation and digitalisation where
people want same freedom and rights in every part of the world (Demir & Gozgor, 2017).
Therefore, to attract the people in the country, Turkey needs to focus on its cultural
fanaticism and it should change the mentality about the European and Asian nations that are
non-Islamic countries. Turkey should also focus on to provide some freedom to explore the
historic places and allow them to enjoy their own culture rather than bounded them in local
Islamic culture, which is not acceptable for people. Security and safety is also a major
concern for the people that should be considered by the Turkey (Hatipoglu, Alvarez, &
Ertuna, 2016).
Existing Target Market for Turkey Tourism
China has great relationship with Turkey. More than 1 million people can easily be
targeted by Turkey in China to attract them and promote them about the Turkey tourism.
Turkey has great trade relationship with China because China is still second largest importer
of the country. Apart from this, the One Belt One Road (OBOR) project of China crosses
from the border of Turkey and it has significant importance for the Turkey and China both.

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This relationship can increase the numbers of visitors in the country. However, currently
more than 300,000 people visited every year in the Turkey (Turkey Homes, 2019).
Turkey can also target the Islamic country consumers such as UAE, Iran, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia etc. The large numbers of people from these countries love the historic
heritage sites of Turkey and Turkey can also promotes its historic culture heritage sites to
these people. The cultural, social, and religious similarities among these country leads to a
better destination for the Islamic people in Turkey (Battour & Ismail, 2016).
The third largest market for the country is Russia. The visitors stopped their arrivals
in the country in 2016 when a Russian jet was downing on the border of Syria and Turkey. In
2015, total numbers of Russian visitors were 686,000 while it was only 47,778 in 2016.
However, a good relationship between Russia and Turkey can increase the numbers of
Russian visitors in the country and it can reach to 8 million by 2020 (Turkey Homes, 2019).
Marketing Strategies
Turkey is a beautiful country where sun, sea, and sand are the attraction point for the
visitors rather than its culture. After analysing the entire situation, it has been found that
Turkey should focus on China, Russia, and Islamic countries for the development of its
tourism industry and attracting people for tourism and hospitality in the country. To attract
these people Turkey should focus on the following strategies:
1. Focus on Promotion of Its cultural Heritage and Historic Sites: Turkey should
promote its cultural heritage sites and historic places in the China and Russia. Apart
from this, the advertisement and events organised for promotion in the Islamic
country, especially in Middle East can help Turkey to achieve its objective to touch
again 40 million visitors by 2020.
2. Provide Freedom to the People to Visit in the Country: The company should focus
on provide freedom to the people who visit from European or Asian countries. The
instability in the country and poor support from the government is the major reason
that people do not want to visit in the country. Turkey should provide a cultural
freedom to the people who visit from other country (Suid, Nor, & Omar, 2018).
3. Ensure better safety and security of visitors: Turkey has destroyed its image in the
world because of some terrorist activities in the country. The country should take
strict actions against the terrorists and should ensure that every people despite being

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their nation should be treated with equal right and freedom in the country (Egresi,
2016).
4. Improve the infrastructure: Infrastructure is a major thing in attracting people for
the tourism in the country. The current accommodation and cuisines of e country is
suits only to Islamic visitors. Turkey must focus on redesigning its infrastructure
according to the need of international tourists and visitors. Apart from this, country
should provide facilities to the people to visit anywhere from the airline and to any
part of the world from the country’s airport facilities (Duman, 2017).
5. Focus on the Sustainable Tourism: The focus on sustainable development of
tourism industry will help the country to mass destruction of natural resources and
attract people from all around the world. It will also help the country to retain its
beauty for longer time period.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Turkey should focus on provide cultural freedom to the people and
attract them from the different part of the world. Turkey should also ensure them about their
security and safety especially for European or Asian visitors who are non-Muslim visitors.
Turkey should also eliminate its religious fanaticism about European and non-Islamic people.
Through this approach, Turkey can be a great destination for Chinese and Russian visitors but
safety and security is a major reason for all the people who want to visit in Turkey including
visitors of Islamic country.

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References
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Battour, M., Hakimian, F., Ismail, M., & Boğan, E. (2018). The perception of non-Muslim
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Demir, E., & Gozgor, G. (2017). What about relative corruption? The impact of the relative
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Duman, T. (2017). The value of Islamic tourism: Perspectives from the Turkish
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