Destination Image: The Case of Turkey

Abstract

Despite ample tourism assets and several decades of tourism development, Turkey still does not have a competitive edge in international tourism. A relatively negative image and/or lack of image are cited as one factor among several others in Turkey's low tourism arrivals and revenues relative to other Mediterranean destinations. Few researchers have measured the image of Turkey and even fewer have done so in the context of international travel. In this study, Turkey's image as an international travel destination was measured using a student population from the US. The findings confirm previous research in terms of Turkey's negative image shaped by stereotypical conceptions rather than factual information. Managerial implications and suggestions for future research are provided.