Dünya Çapında E-Spor Turizmi: Mevcut Durum Analizi ve Türkiye'nin Potansiyeli

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışma, e-spor turizminin küresel bir fenomen olarak nasıl evrimleştiği sorusuna yanıt aramakta ve Türkiye'nin bu gelişmekte olan pazardaki stratejik konumlandırmasını değerlendirmektedir. Araştırma, dünya genelinde e-spor turizmi gelişiminin sistematik bir analizini sağlayarak ve Türkiye'nin bu yüksek büyüme sektöründe rekabet avantajı elde etmesi için spesifik yol haritalarını belirleyerek literatürdeki bir boşluğu doldurmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Yöntem: Bu çalışma, PRISMA 2020 kılavuzlarına uygun sistematik literatür taraması ile ikincil veri tabanlı SWOT analizini birleştiren betimsel, nitel bir araştırma tasarımı kullanmaktadır. Veriler, 2020–2025 dönemi için akademik veri tabanlarından (ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, TR Dizin) ve sektör istihbarat platformlarından (Newzoo, Statista, DataIntelo, Nielsen Sports) toplanmıştır. Toplam 70 kaynak dahil edilmiş olup, bunların 50'si hakemli makale ve 20'si sektör raporundan oluşmaktadır. Güvenilirlik, veri kaynağı üçlemesi ve NVivo 14 kullanılarak tematik kodlama yoluyla sağlanmıştır.

Bulgular: Çalışma, e-spor turizminin niş bir alt kültürden önemli bir ekonomik segmente dönüştüğünü, piyasa değerlemelerinin 2,4 milyar ABD dolarına ulaştığını ve 2033 yılına kadar 8,2 milyar ABD doları projeksiyon öngörüldüğünü tespit etmiştir. Analiz, Türkiye'nin genç demografik yapı, stratejik coğrafi konum olarak dünya standartlarında bir havacılık merkezi ve gelişmiş dijital altyapı dahil olmak üzere önemli yapısal avantajlara sahip olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Ancak, büyük ölçekli amaca özel tesislerin sınırlı bulunabilirliği, uluslararası katılımcılar için özel vize protokollerinin bulunmaması ve rakip destinasyonlara göre yetersiz mali teşvikler gibi kritik arz tarafı kısıtlamaları belirlenmiştir. Başarılı destinasyonların (Katowice, Singapur, Suudi Arabistan) karşılaştırmalı analizi, koordineli politika geliştirme ve stratejik altyapı yatırımının rekabetçi konumlandırmanın temel belirleyicileri olduğunu göstermiştir.

Pratik Çıkarımlar: Çalışma, politika yapıcılar ve destinasyon yöneticileri için uygulanabilir öneriler sunmaktadır: geçiş havaalanlarına yakın çok amaçlı arena geliştirme, e-spor katılımcıları için kolaylaştırılmış vize kategorilerinin uygulanması ve etkinlik organizatörleri için hedefli vergi indirimlerinin getirilmesi. Bu kanıta dayalı önlemler, Türkiye'yi bölgesel bir e-spor turizm merkezi olarak konumlandırabilirken konaklama, gastronomi ve kültürel miras sektörleri için ikincil ekonomik faydalar yaratabilir.

Özgünlük/Bilimsel Katkı: Bu çalışma, nicel piyasa verilerini nitel politika analiziyle bütünleştirerek Türkiye'nin e-spor turizmi potansiyelinin ilk sistematik SWOT tabanlı değerlendirmesini sunarak literatüre katkıda bulunmaktadır. Araştırma, e-spor turizminin dijital-özgünlü karakteristikleri ve hızlı piyasa evrimi nedeniyle farklı analitik yaklaşımlar gerektirdiğini göstererek mevcut spor turizmi çerçevelerini genişletmektedir. Bulgular, küresel e-spor olayından değer yakalamayı hedefleyen gelişmekte olan destinasyonlar için uygulanabilir bir kanıta dayalı stratejik yol haritası sağlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• E-spor turizmi
• Küresel pazar analizi
• Türkiye turizmi
• Ekonomik etki
• Strateji geliştirme

E-Sports Tourism Worldwide: Current State Analysis and Turkey's Potential

Öz

Purpose: This study addresses the question of how e-sports tourism has evolved as a global phenomenon and evaluates Türkiye's strategic positioning within this emerging market. The research aims to fill a gap in the literature by providing a systematic analysis of worldwide e-sports tourism development and identifying specific pathways for Türkiye to establish a competitive advantage in this high-growth sector.

Method: This study employs a descriptive, qualitative research design combining a systematic literature review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines with secondary-data SWOT analysis. Data were collected from academic repositories (ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, TR Dizin) and industry-intelligence platforms (Newzoo, Statista, DataIntelo, Nielsen Sports) for the period 2020–2025. A total of 70 sources were included, comprising 50 peer-reviewed articles and 20 sector reports. Trustworthiness was ensured through data-source triangulation and thematic coding using NVivo 14.

Findings: The study found that e-sports tourism has transitioned from a niche subculture to a substantial economic segment, with market valuations reaching USD 2.4 billion and projections of USD 8.2 billion by 2033. The analysis revealed that Türkiye possesses significant structural advantages including a young demographic profile, strategic geographic location as a world-class aviation hub, and improved digital infrastructure. However, critical supply-side constraints were identified: limited availability of large-scale purpose-built venues, absence of dedicated visa protocols for international participants, and insufficient fiscal incentives relative to competitor destinations. A comparative analysis of successful destinations (Katowice, Singapore, Saudi Arabia) demonstrated that coordinated policy development and strategic infrastructure investment are key determinants of competitive positioning.

Practical Implications: The study provides actionable recommendations for policymakers and destination managers: the development of multi-purpose arenas adjacent to gateway airports, the implementation of streamlined visa categories for e-sports participants, and the introduction of targeted tax rebates for event organizers. These evidence-based measures could position Türkiye as a regional e-sports tourism hub while generating secondary economic benefits for the accommodation, gastronomy, and cultural heritage sectors.

Originality/Scientific Contribution: This study contributes to the literature by offering the first systematic SWOT-based assessment of Türkiye's e-sports tourism potential, integrating quantitative market data with qualitative policy analysis. The research extends existing sport tourism frameworks by demonstrating that e-sports tourism requires distinct analytical approaches due to its digital-native characteristics and rapid market evolution. The findings provide an evidence-based strategic roadmap applicable to emerging destinations seeking to capture value from the global e-sports phenomenon.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• E-sports tourism
• Global market analysis
• Türkiye tourism
• Economic impact
• Strategy development

Kaynakça

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