TR
EN
The transformative role of foreign direct investment in Türkiye's tourism economy
Abstract
In line with worldwide trends, Türkiye's tourist industry makes a substantial contribution to its economy. With 56.7 million tourists and $54.3 billion in revenue in 2023, it made up around 5% of the GDP. Even though the industry has grown significantly since 2004 due to the construction of new infrastructure, it is still susceptible to outside shocks like the 2016 coup attempt and the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes market diversification necessary because it relies on a small number of important supplier nations. Nominal GDP and Net FDI have a substantial positive connection (0.69), according to econometric analysis conducted between 2004 and 2024, suggesting that economic expansion draws in foreign investment. On the other hand, there is a very poor correlation (0.015) between GDP and unemployment, indicating that Türkiye's expansion has a limited capacity to create jobs. Net FDI and unemployment have a moderately positive connection (0.37), suggesting that foreign investments may prioritise capital-intensive industries over labour-intensive ones. Infrastructure, alternative tourism, service quality, public-private collaboration, and sustainability are all prioritised in government policies. Türkiye leads the region in tourist volume, according to comparisons, although its GDP contribution is less than that of some of its peers because of other robust economic sectors. This study suggests that although the Turkish tourism industry has a lot of room to grow, its vulnerability to external shocks will bring more positive results by turning to high-quality tourism to promote market diversity and sustainable development.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Economic Theory (Other), Tourism Economics
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
August 31, 2026
Submission Date
July 26, 2025
Acceptance Date
May 28, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 19 Number: 2
APA
Ince Yenilmez, M., Darıcı, B., & Bingöl, U. (2026). The transformative role of foreign direct investment in Türkiye’s tourism economy. Hitit Journal of Social Sciences, 19(2), 538-556. https://doi.org/10.17218/hititsbd.1750896
AMA
1.Ince Yenilmez M, Darıcı B, Bingöl U. The transformative role of foreign direct investment in Türkiye’s tourism economy. Hitit Journal of Social Sciences. 2026;19(2):538-556. doi:10.17218/hititsbd.1750896
Chicago
Ince Yenilmez, Meltem, Burak Darıcı, and Ufuk Bingöl. 2026. “The Transformative Role of Foreign Direct Investment in Türkiye’s Tourism Economy”. Hitit Journal of Social Sciences 19 (2): 538-56. https://doi.org/10.17218/hititsbd.1750896.
EndNote
Ince Yenilmez M, Darıcı B, Bingöl U (August 1, 2026) The transformative role of foreign direct investment in Türkiye’s tourism economy. Hitit Journal of Social Sciences 19 2 538–556.
IEEE
[1]M. Ince Yenilmez, B. Darıcı, and U. Bingöl, “The transformative role of foreign direct investment in Türkiye’s tourism economy”, Hitit Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 538–556, Aug. 2026, doi: 10.17218/hititsbd.1750896.
ISNAD
Ince Yenilmez, Meltem - Darıcı, Burak - Bingöl, Ufuk. “The Transformative Role of Foreign Direct Investment in Türkiye’s Tourism Economy”. Hitit Journal of Social Sciences 19/2 (August 1, 2026): 538-556. https://doi.org/10.17218/hititsbd.1750896.
JAMA
1.Ince Yenilmez M, Darıcı B, Bingöl U. The transformative role of foreign direct investment in Türkiye’s tourism economy. Hitit Journal of Social Sciences. 2026;19:538–556.
MLA
Ince Yenilmez, Meltem, et al. “The Transformative Role of Foreign Direct Investment in Türkiye’s Tourism Economy”. Hitit Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 19, no. 2, Aug. 2026, pp. 538-56, doi:10.17218/hititsbd.1750896.
Vancouver
1.Meltem Ince Yenilmez, Burak Darıcı, Ufuk Bingöl. The transformative role of foreign direct investment in Türkiye’s tourism economy. Hitit Journal of Social Sciences. 2026 Aug. 1;19(2):538-56. doi:10.17218/hititsbd.1750896