Nese Kumral

National Industry Clusters and Regional Specializations in Turkey

The article aims to identify industry clusters in Turkey by examining inter-industry selling and purchasing relationships. The 1990 Turkish input-output table is used to identify similarities between selling and purchasing patterns of the 60 manufacturing industries and derive a matrix that describes relative linkages between them. The article also investigates the regional specializations by using the identified national clusters as templates for an analysis of local patterns. Principle component factor analysis reveals the presence of six identifiable industry clusters. The firms within the identified clusters provide a potential to share technical information and knowledge transfer through formal or informal interactions.

An Empirical Analysis of the Determinants of International Tourism Demand: The Case of Izmir

Tourism has become an important sector in Turkey as a growing source of foreign exchange reserves and employment over the last two decades. After being one of the most important tourist destinations for decades, Izmir lost its relative importance after the 1990s. With its historical, cultural values and nature, Izmir still has a significant potential for tourism. Given the importance of this sector for Izmir, this paper investigates the factors affecting the international tourism demand in Izmir using the time series data between 1980 and 2005. The double logarithmic model is used in estimation. Real exchange rates, the GDP per capita of OECD countries, the GDP per capita of Izmir and the transportation public capital stock of Izmir are the variables used to explain Izmirs international tourist arrivals. The empirical results show that the prices and income of the tourist-generating country are the main determinants of the demand for tourism. Income and price elasticities are above 1. Local factors related to Izmirs level of development and the transportation public capital stock have no significant effect. Policy implications derivable from this study suggest that government should encourage alternative forms of tourism development besides mass tourism.

Tourism, Regional Development and Public Policy: Introduction to the Special Issue

The demand for tourism has become more globalized in the last few decades due to the improved technologies of information and communications, better transportation facilities and liberalization of international borders. The traditional tourism destinations now face a more competitive environment, for an increased number of possible destinations have emerged. This environment is further deepened by an increase in the number of products and services available to the preferences of visitors. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) expects a 4% annual increase in international arrivals for the next 20 years. UNWTO’s Tourism 2020 Vision forecasts that the top receiving regions in 2020 will be Europe, East Asia and Pacific and the Americas. This may be taken to imply a not-so-bright future for Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. However, the market shares of the latter group of regions are expected to increase within the same Vision, for these regions are expected to display a tourist arrival growth of 5% annually, which is higher than the expected world average growth rate of 4.1% per year (UNWTO, 2008). Local suppliers will be able to benefit from this increased mobility as long as they remain competitive vis-à-vis other regions through product differentiation and productivity enhancements. Even though the demand for tourism is becoming global, the supply is inevitably local, since the consumption of goods and services takes place through the interaction of consumers and producers (OECD, 2006, 2008). What is presented by suppliers is a basket of goods and services that constitute an experience for the visitor. Obviously, the more unique an experience is, the more demanded it will be and the more productive the local supplier will become. Therefore,

Tourism, regional development and public policy

1. Tourism, Regional Development and Public Policy:Introduction to the Special Issue, Nese Kumral, A. Ozlem Onder. 2. From local promotion towards regional tourism policies:Knowledge process and actor networks in North Jutland, Denmark, Pennie F. Henriksen, Henrik Halkier. 3. Culinary Tourism as a tool for regional re-equilibrium, Armando Montanari, Barbara Stanisca. 4. Working on the other side, cooperative tour organizers and uncooperative hoteliers: evidence from Greek Cypriot tourism professionals, Craig Webster. Bernard Musyck Stelios Orphanides, David Jacobson.5. Public policies and development of the tourism industry in the Aegean region, Yaprak Gulcan, Department of Economics, Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey, Yesim Kuustepeli Department of Economics, Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey, Sedef Akgungor Department of Economics, Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey. 6. An empirical analysis of the determinants of international tourism demand: the case of Izmir, A. Ozlem Onder, Aykan Candemir.