Introducing ’strategic depth’ to tourism
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 25, 2009 00:00
A couple of headlines in recent days tempt us to steal a line from the discipline of diplomacy and advocate its export to the field of tourism: "strategic depth."
For the concept coined by Turkey’s current foreign minister is an apt one for embrace by a tourism sector that, despite many triumphs, needs to spread its reach beyond the dominance of "all-inclusive" packages on the Mediterranean. The rap on industrial strength package tourism is that Turkey hosts too many tourists who arrive with 20 euros and one shirt and change neither. That’s probably too harsh. With the expansion of golf, yachting and other high value amenities, the face of tourism on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts is moving upscale.
But the news we reported yesterday that May arrivals reflect a 1 percent dip over the same period a year ago is a warning. The number is still healthy, 2.7 million with the lion’s share headed to the south. This is hardly a number to be dismissed. But it underscores the vulnerability of a sector prey to the economic winds in Russia or Europe, a monoculture approach that is risky when sand, sun and the sea or essentially commodities replicable within easy reach of low-cost airlines.
So we are heartened by recent news we have reported from the Black Sea city of Rize and from the nearby city of Bursa, best known for its textiles and automotive manufacturing.
In the case of Rize, a new project launched by the herbal tea company Doğadan seeks to draw tourists to the little visited region of the Ayder Plateau above the Black Sea. This is the center of Turkey’s black tea production. With clean air, pristine rivers and the greenery of forests meeting the fields of tea production, "why not share all this beauty in front of our eyes with our customers," said Doğadan’s Veli Vardarlı. An impressive strategy is under way both to woo visitors to the region and to introduce the varieties of tea now under production.
And then yesterday we reported that Bursa is planning to diversify its economy with a tourism campaign that will embrace faith tourism during the month of Ramadan, encouraging visitors to historic mosques and tombs. Planners of this campaign also see potential in sports and nature tourism.
Importantly, both the Rize and Bursa projects are emphasizing Ğ at least initially Ğ an outreach to domestic tourists, not foreigners. With the 10 million people of Istanbul just two hours away, this strikes us as smart. Bursa hopes to be drawing 1 million visitors annually by next year, almost entirely from the "local" market. "We want Bursa to become a local brand first. Once we manage that, we may chase a dream to make it a global brand," said Bursa’s Celal Sönmez.
This is "strategic depth" thinking. We hope the experiences of Bursa and Rize inspire others throughout the country to tap so many areas of untapped potential.
But the news we reported yesterday that May arrivals reflect a 1 percent dip over the same period a year ago is a warning. The number is still healthy, 2.7 million with the lion’s share headed to the south. This is hardly a number to be dismissed. But it underscores the vulnerability of a sector prey to the economic winds in Russia or Europe, a monoculture approach that is risky when sand, sun and the sea or essentially commodities replicable within easy reach of low-cost airlines.
So we are heartened by recent news we have reported from the Black Sea city of Rize and from the nearby city of Bursa, best known for its textiles and automotive manufacturing.
In the case of Rize, a new project launched by the herbal tea company Doğadan seeks to draw tourists to the little visited region of the Ayder Plateau above the Black Sea. This is the center of Turkey’s black tea production. With clean air, pristine rivers and the greenery of forests meeting the fields of tea production, "why not share all this beauty in front of our eyes with our customers," said Doğadan’s Veli Vardarlı. An impressive strategy is under way both to woo visitors to the region and to introduce the varieties of tea now under production.
And then yesterday we reported that Bursa is planning to diversify its economy with a tourism campaign that will embrace faith tourism during the month of Ramadan, encouraging visitors to historic mosques and tombs. Planners of this campaign also see potential in sports and nature tourism.
Importantly, both the Rize and Bursa projects are emphasizing Ğ at least initially Ğ an outreach to domestic tourists, not foreigners. With the 10 million people of Istanbul just two hours away, this strikes us as smart. Bursa hopes to be drawing 1 million visitors annually by next year, almost entirely from the "local" market. "We want Bursa to become a local brand first. Once we manage that, we may chase a dream to make it a global brand," said Bursa’s Celal Sönmez.
This is "strategic depth" thinking. We hope the experiences of Bursa and Rize inspire others throughout the country to tap so many areas of untapped potential.