Destination Analysis for Turkey - Essay Example

Summary Destination analysis for Turkey Turkey is classified as a Eurasian Country found in South Eastern Europe. Its neighbors are; Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Syria, Iran and Iraq. It falls between Asia and Europe. Turkey is a major destination for tourists and has various natural attraction sites. It has smart beaches and National Parks which are attractive to many tourists. Turkey has a coat line 8000 km long with more than 300 blue flag beaches. It has some of the best pristine beaches in the whole of Europe which are bordered by beautiful green forests. The beaches are also close to archaeological sites. Turkey has 39 national parks with a lot of biodiversity protection activities. Many of these national parks occur in forested lands. Others can be found in areas with steppe type vegetation. Bey mountains national park has many fauna and flora. Steppe vegetation parks include Munzur valley and Nemrut Mountain among others. Others have wonderful ecological structures such as the Kuscenneti National Park which is a valuable wetland in Turkey Turkey, Donlon,& Agrusa, (2010). The people of Turkey are welcoming and friendly to tourists. The population growth of turkey is high after growing at a high rate in the recent past. The society in Turkey is industrialized and many people live in urban areas. People are educated publicly in masses. The society is deeply religious with the majority of people being Muslims. There are two major cultures in Turkey. These are the elitist secular society that is known for modernity and progressiveness and the mass culture which has much of its influence from Islam in radical, modern, traditional or mystical interpretations Garnett, (2004). Turkey is also known as a historical destination because of its numerous historical sites. Among the most significant are the Kariye museum, Ephesus, Topkapi palace and Hagia Sophia. Topkapi palace gets so many visitors and is a major historical site in Istanbul. For 400 years the place was an administrative center during the time of the Ottoman Empire. It has many complexes on one hill out of the seven found in Istanbul. It has court yards that serve various purposes. It reminds tourists of the reign of the Ottoman Empire. Kariye museum is another major site and the most significant Byzantine monument fund in Istanbul. It was built in the 11th century as a dedication to Christ. In 1511 it became a mosque after a minaret had been added to it. Its walls have decorations of mosaic from the 14th century which show the life of the Virgin Mary and Christ. There are rocks, paintings and designs of architecture behind the decorations. This site reminds tourist about the history of Christianity in Turkey Hugh & Pope (2004). Hagia Sophia is another significant site constructed in 537 AD by Justinian who was a Roman Emperor. It served as the biggest church for 1000 years in the entire Christian world. It has a big dome rising 200 feet in height with a diameter of over 100 feet. The walls have mosaics made during the Byzantine era. There is also Ephesus as another major site which is among the greatest archaeological sites in the world. Many monuments there date back to the days of Roman rule. Among the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ was the Temple of Artemis found in Ephesus. This place is a reminder to tourists about the early years of the Christian religion in Turkey since Ephesus was a big center for Christianity Garnett, (2004). Turkey has managed to become a tourist destination under various circumstances. Some of the circumstances were favorable while others were not. It has cheap hotels, and a great rate of exchange. It provides high quality accommodation at a good price. The Lira being of high value has presented a problem in trade but tourism has not failed. Turkey has good prices for leisure activities and dining. Tourists are easily attracted to Turkey since it is close to Europe and has cheap accommodation, goods and services for tourists Turkey, Donlon,& Agrusa, (2010). Tourists going to Turkey can engage in various activities such as swimming, yachting, water rafting, boating, biking, hiking, hot air ballooning and art. Under water diving is done in the warmer months. Tourists also do sport activities like skiing, hiking and climbing of the mountains during winter. Spelunking is another activity where tourists explore geological formations. Tourists also bathe in the waters of thermal springs in the Aegean and Mamara regions. Tourism has affected the lives of the people of Turkey both positively and negatively. Many people find employment in the sector and have their domestic economies lifted. The national economy also receives a boost. On the negative side tourists tend to introduce their strange practices in an otherwise stable culture Hugh & Pope (2004).Accommodation for tourists in Turkey can be found in various places. Among them are hotels which are fairly cheap and affordable, villas which provide some level of freedom and hostels which are known for giving tourists an opportunity to save for other things. Tourists going to Turkey can do so by air, rail or road. Many Europeans tourists take planes which give them a short flight since Turkey is close by. Within Turkey they use taxis, trains, planes and ferries in most cases Turkey, Donlon,& Agrusa, (2010). Tourists in turkey are treated to a rich culture with wonderful cuisine. The people are fond of tea and the tourists are also given an opportunity for plenty of tea. The cuisine which is renown through out the world is rich in spices and fresh ingredients. Chicken and lamb meat together with bread is common. Seasonal fruits and vegetables such as peaches, egg plants, dried apricots, figs, olive and nuts are common and loved by many. Pilafs or rice which is spiced and flavored, prizolla or thin lamb chops seasoned using thyme or sumac and then grilled quickly are popular. Others include a spiced sausage called sucuk, pastirma which is beef that is sun dried, coated with cumin-ferugreek and preserved shish kebabs or roast meat on skewers as well as milk puddings. Raki is the traditional drink in Turkey as well as Ayran which is made by adding water to yoghurt. Coffee is also common in social hubs where much talk such as gossip is taking place. If a bronchure was made for tourist promotion in Turkey, it would advertise the smart beaches, comfortable hotels, wonderful natural landscape, wildlife and biodiversity, historical sites and the local cuisine. The culture of the country will also be featured. The relative cheap prices for food and accommodation will also be included. Turkey is the best place for tourists to go given its geographical location between Europe and Asia and wonderful environment it has that supports sporting events and activities Hugh & Pope (2004). Bibliography Turkey D., Donlon, J.G, Agrusa, J.H, 2010, Cultural tourism, camel wrestling, and the tourism „bubble‟ in Turkey‟, Anatolia: an international journal of tourism and hospitality research, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 29- 39. Tilic, L. Dogan (5 April 2010). "Antalya: The Tourism Capital of Turkey". European Business Review. Retrieved 28 January 2011. Turkey: A Country Study (1996). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress.  Hugh, P; Pope, N. (2004). Turkey Unveiled. Overlook.  Garnett, (2004). The Turkish People: Their Social Life, Religious Beliefs and Institutions and Domestic Life. Kessinger Publishing. Read More