Gelisim News

According to the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) for 2018, the number of visitors arriving in Turkey broke a record with 46.1 million people, surged 21.4 percent compared to 2017. Noting that significant progress has been made for the target of 63 million visitors determined within the scope of the 2023 strategy, Faculty member of Istanbul Gelisim University Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences Tourism Guidance Department Asst. Prof. Özgür Kızıldemir said: “Under Turkey's 2023 strategy to achieve its target of 63 million tourists and 86 billion dollars of revenue as it is necessary to continue the positive steps taken so far. Increasing the number and capacity of airports which are vitally important for tourism and the incentives given for tourism investments are the best moves in the formation of the necessary infrastructure. Government support on behalf of the tourism industry and promotion strategies carried out by the Ministry in the country and abroad are among the other positive steps taken.”

"TURKEY SHOULD FOCUS ON TOURISM MARKET IN ASIAN COUNTRIES"

Asst. Prof. Özgür Kızıldemir said that focusing on the tourism market in Asian countries is among the strategies towards achieving the 2023 targets of tourism that Turkey would benefit from.

Kızıldemir pointing out that the studies should be increased in the scope of sustainable tourism, said: “Macro and micro plans should be determined for each destination and the carrying capacities of the destinations should be calculated so as to prevent the damage of our existing natural resources in order to let us host tourists for many years. In addition, to allow the kind of tourism as much geographical location of Turkey is important in the context of sustainable tourism. Making market studies according to different types of tourism such as health tourism, gastronomy tourism, winter tourism, cultural tourism, will be a move towards increasing tourism revenues.”

Indicating that tourism expenditures for 2018 decreased by 5 percent compared to the previous year and realized as 4.89 billion dollars, Kızıldemir said: “It is observed that tourism expenditures have decreased below 5 billion dollars for the first time since 2012. This means that in 2018, our citizens spent less money on their travels abroad.”

Stating that “The fact that tourism has links with many sub-sectors such as accommodation, transportation, food, and beverage, in addition to direct contributions to the Gross National Product (GNP), indirectly also contributes a lot” Kızıldemir continued as follows: “Tourism has become an important industry for Turkey, which is understood by economic indicators such as tourism revenue and employment creation".