Road map drawn to diversify tourism activities, destinations

ANKARA

A road map has been drawn to diversify tourism activities and to promote Türkiye’s hidden gems in several provinces that have potential to draw more visitors.

More than 50 million foreign tourists visited the country in the first 11 months of 2024, marking a 7.1 percent increase from the same period of 2023.

Under the Industry and Technology Ministry’s ‘Regional Development and National Strategy’ blueprint, the profiles of travelers in the domestic market and target market countries and the preferences of those who tend to spend more will be determined which will help tourism spread throughout the year.

The aim is to identify regions that may offer alternative destinations and activities to local and international travelers.

The work will focus on steps to be taken in 7 areas ranging from gastronomy to health, culture, faith, nature, winter and cruise tourism.

For example, the provinces of Istanbul, İzmir, Çanakkale, Nevşehir, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Bursa and Kars are identified as the main routes for culture tourism and train tours.

In faith tourism, the main attractions are identified as structures such as mosques, churches, synagogues, tombs and cathedrals, and natural sites, including lakes, mountains, islands, groves and caves that are considered sacred will be promoted.

In the field of gastronomy, the initiative also aims at boosting efforts for geographical indication efforts of Turkish dishes and local products in destinations such as Gaziantep, Hatay and Afyonkarahisar.

To promote nature-based tourism, locations will be identified to establish dark sky parks in several provinces, including Antalya, Ankara, Çanakkale, Bolu, Bursa, Hatay, Diyarbakır, Erzurum and Van.

Moreover, regions that stand out in medical and thermal tourism will be turned into tourism destinations for the elderly.

Service standards in the sector will be raised, and the demands and expectations of tourists will be met with a qualified workforce, quality facilities and services to maintain competitiveness.

Moreover, the road map, designed to support the digital transformation of the tourism sector, will be supported by strengthening the digital infrastructure of businesses in the sector and their capacity to participate in digital ecosystems.

The sector's compliance with climate change and green transformation criteria will also be ensured.

According to the road map, digital inventories and 3D modeling will be created and digitized to ensure the maintenance, protection and transfer of historical monuments to future generations.