Journal of and Hospitality Management, May-June 2019, Vol. 7, No. 3, 89-100 doi: 10.17265/2328-2169/2019.03.001 D DAVID PUBLISHING

Tourism in : A Socio-Economic Assessment

Amer Al-Roubaie Ahlia University, Manama, Bahrain  Tourism plays an important role in socio-economic development of nations worldwide. In the case of poor countries, tourism contributes to job creation, poverty alleviation, and foreign exchange earnings. Because of its multi-discipline dimensions, tourism increases the economy capabilities to generate production linkages which encourage investments in various productive and service sectors of the economy. Countries with limited natural capital can benefit from tourism to sustain growth and support development. Turkey is one of the most attractive tourism destinations in the world. Because of its geographical location and cultural attractions, Turkey has become an important spot for millions of tourists from different parts of the world. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of tourism on socio-economic development in Turkey and the future prospects that the country can achieve from investment in the tourism sector. Turkey should construct well-defined strategy the aim of which is to make tourism as an effective instrument for fostering economic growth and sustaining development.

Keywords: Turkey, tourism, linkages, development, globalization

Introduction Tourism plays an important role in the socio-economic development of many nations worldwide. Recent advancement in information technology, transportation, and income per capita are expected to increase demand for tourist-related activities in the decades ahead making tourism an important driver for global development and growth. There are more people traveling today than ever before reflecting the changing attitude towards vacations abroad. While the aggregate number of people going abroad for leisure from wealthy countries continues to increase, tourism emanating from the developing world has been on the rise in recent times. By 2020, the number of tourists in the world is expected to reach to nearly 1.6 billion. Being a popular destination for tourists, Turkey must pay heed to the regional and global changes impacting tourism and increase investment in the tourist infrastructure in order to stay competitive as a touristic destination. Tourism stimulates market activities by creating linkages and generating demand for locally produced goods and services. Economic activities driven by tourists reduce income inequalities by opening up opportunities for lower and middle-income classes to participate in market activities. Tourism not only enhances productivity and cultivates tacit knowledge, but also increases economic diversification through the creation of new industries and services linked to the tourist sector. Recent literature on knowledge societies highlights the importance of creative enterprises and innovation in fostering economic growth and strengthening the fundamentals for building a knowledge economy. Tourism induces creative activities by encouraging the production and export of creative and knowledge-based products and services. These activities are influenced by traditional cultural features that distinguish different societies from one another. Turkey in

Amer Al-Roubaie, Ph.D. (McGill University)/professor, Ahlia University, Manama, Bahrain.

90 TOURISM IN TURKEY: A SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT particular is known for its unique cultural, geographical, and historical characteristics which stimulate the production and sale of creative products. The aim of this paper is to discuss briefly the contribution of tourism to the socio-economic development of Turkey. Given its unique blend of natural, historical, and religious endowments, Turkey is an attractive destination for tourists both intra-regionally and internationally. The city of , for example, constitu