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

The Case of Turkey

Resumen

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.