The impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Accommodation Preferences of Domestic Tourists:: The Case of Turkey

Burcu Karasakaloğlu; H. Handan  Öztemiz

Authors

Burcu Karasakaloğlu ALKU https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1765-8138
H. Handan Öztemiz ZBEU https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4446-6887

Keywords:

Covid-19, Accommodation Type Preferences, Domestic Tourism, Markov chains analysis.

Abstract

The tourism industry, which single-handedly accounts for a significant portion of the service export of Turkey, is regarded as being one of the industry that provide the most competitive advantages. However, as in other countries, the protectionist practices and travel restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have had a significant impact on the tourism sector in Turkey, as well. This impact is not only related to a decline in tourism income, but also a process of sharp transformation that involving the travel behavior and accommodation choices of tourists. In this context, the aim of this study is to predict future accommodation preferences of domestic tourists by using markov chain analysis, taking into account previous experiences and Covid-19 processes. In line with the findings of the study, the necessity of accommodation businesses and investors to carry out strategic planning within this framework was expressed, based on the forecast that the accommodation choices of domestic tourists in Turkey would change in the long term.

Author Biographies

Burcu Karasakaloğlu, ALKU

The author graduated from Akdeniz University, Department of Tourism Management in 2012. In the
same year, she started his graduate education in the Department of Tourism Management at
Akdeniz University. She has been working as a research assistant at Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat
University. She completed her doctorate in the Department of Tourism
Management at Akdeniz University.

H. Handan Öztemiz, ZBEU

The author graduated from Eskişehir Osmangazi University Mathematics Department in 2010 and
Anadolu University Business Administration Department in 2011. She worked in the commercial
banking department between 2012-2014. In 2016, she completed her master's degree at Celal BayarUniversity, Department of International Trade and Finance. As of 2021, she completed her doctorate in the department of international trade at Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University. The author works as a research assistant in the international trade and business of Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University