Tourism Marketing - Essay Example

This pressure on the industry has been further compounded on by the operational environment on the supply side that has to keep pace with influencing factors such as the rapid globalization and technological advancements (Kozak and Baloglu 2011). This paper seeks to identify the various components of marketing in the tourism industry marketing with special emphasis on strategy formulation and implementation. As a reference, the choice destination that has been identified is the Turkish tourism sector.

First, it is important to review the chosen destination. Overview of Turkey as a Tourist Destination Turkey has an estimated population of over 73 million people; the country is known to be one of the most populous states with a higher number of Muslims that is a member of the European Union. It has also been cited as one of the nations that is a cradle for human civilization. On the tourism segment, the country is a world-beater for destination marketing. This can be illustrated by the impressive performance of its resorts and destinations in comparison with other European destinations (Andreu et al 2005).

Moreover, statistics indicate that the country has 16 international standard airports, over a million combined bed capacity, 9000 licensed tourists’ guides, 568 travel agencies and 258 beaches (Goturkey 2012). Evaluating the market niche based on tourists’ attraction sites, Turkey offers some of the best tourist destinations in the world. From the minaret filled skyline of the famous Istanbul to the Roman ruins found along south west Coasts, the country boasts of a variety of fascinating and memorable attractions that compares with the world’s top destinations (Turopia 2010).

Also of importance are the attractive beaches of the Antalye and the seaside resorts found along the mountains of the eastern side of the Black sea. The major tourist destinations commonly liked by most tourists locally and internationally include Aspendos Theatre, which was built around 155 AD during the reign of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius with a capacity to host between 15000 to 20000 people. Next there is the famous Patara beach, a historical scenic beauty as it is considered the cradle of the endangered Loggerhead turtle (Turopia 2010).

It is also said to be the birthplace of the 4th century Byzantine bishop St. Nicholas who became the legend Santa Claus. It has massive stretches of sand, which overlaps to about 9 miles, by coverage. It is also supported by ancient Lycian and Roman ruins and swooping dunes with no visible building a part from a small cafe. The mentioned attraction sites are just but a few among the numerous destinations scattered in different regions across the Turkish nation. This calls for a sound marketing research, analysis and evaluation so that an appropriate strategy is arrived at.

This will be discussed in the following section. Marketing and the Different Sectors The tourism industry has unrivalled contribution to many economies as compared to other industries (Tsiotsou and Goldsmith 2012). However, for this potential to be tapped at higher levels in Turkey and elsewhere in the world, it is important that there is an appropriate marketing plan and strategy that has been put in place. The tourism industry is divided in different sectors that require different marketing approaches.

The Turkish tourism has been broadly divided into four main categories that include natural attractions,