Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hitherto, there has been a close relation-
ship between the country's 'organic' image and
the tourism destination image. For example,
international tourism demand for Turkey in
2003 decreased unexpectedly due to the War in
Iraq, although the country's coastal resorts are
geographically far removed from the areas of
conflict in the neighbouring country. Turkey's
accession to the EU can assist developing the
perception of Turkey as a more secure, safe and
responsible destination, while also helping to
remove historical prejudices prevailing in the
mind of Western societies (e.g. Kanli, 2004;
Paris, 2004; Tosun and Temizkan, 2004).
own educated and experienced citizens hitherto
living abroad.
Improvement in product quality
Establishment of greater political stability, in-
creased foreign investment, and the sharing of
accumulated experience and expertise should
result in an overall improvement in product
quality. As a requirement of EU membership,
Turkey will need to enact new rules and take
measures to produce goods and services consis-
tent with EU standards. When Turkey increases
the quality of tourism products to attain EU
standards, costs of production will increase as
well, creating new challenges.
Internationally, the numbers of tourists with
special needs (through age and various forms of
disablement) are increasing (CEC, 2003, p. 6).
To respond to the needs of these growing
markets, Turkey will need to restructure tourism
facilities both to increase the satisfaction levels
of such tourists and to increase the country's
long-term competitiveness.
Benefiting from accumulated experience
of the EU
It will be easier for Turkey to share accumulated
experience and expertise of the EU in the area
of tourism planning, management and market-
ing when Turkey becomes a full member of the
EU. As the EU has helped Spain, Greece and
Italy utilize tourism as an instrument to reduce
regional developmental inequalities, it could
encourage the Turkish authorities to plan, man-
age and develop tourism in such a way as to
achieve more balanced development outcomes
and assist progress towards sustainable forms of
tourism.
It is claimed that the country has failed to
use its educated human resources effectively
and efficiently in the tourism industry because
of widespread nepotism, lack of objective crite-
ria and the absence of equal opportunities.
Thus, many students who studied at Western
universities supported with public money have
either not returned to Turkey or have only
stayed for a short time because of dissatisfaction
with the mismanagement of human resources
in the public sector (Tosun, 2000, 2001). EU
accession would be expected to reduce nepo-
tism and create an environment for equal
opportunities in employment and promotion.
This would enable Turkey to deploy human
resources in a more effective and efficient man-
ner and reduce the costly brain drain currently
suffered (although, potentially, it could exacer-
bate the outflow of educated labour in the
shorter term). Theoretically at least, Turkey
would benefit not only from the EU's experi-
ence in tourism management, but also from her
Other new market opportunities
Turkey has hitherto targeted Western European
low- and middle-income groups, largely
through the direction provided by international
tour operators. With the improvement in quality
of tourism supply, her organic image as a coun-
try and induced image as a destination, Turkey
should have a capability to reach higher income
groups in the international tourism market.
Collaboration and cooperation should be pur-
sued with neighbouring Greece, particularly in
destination marketing growth strategies such as
market penetration, market development, pro-
duct development and product diversification
strategies. Although there are currently political,
diplomatic and financial barriers to this (Tosun
et al
., 2005), despite the public polemics,
Turkey's EU accession bid has already brought
both countries closer in terms of diplomatic and
political relationships. As a reflection of this, a
bilateral agreement in the field of tourism was
signed in 2000:
The Parties, in order to stimulate the tourist
flows from third countries into their countries,
shall encourage bilateral cooperation between
the representatives of the tourism sectors of
