Tourism policy in Turkey’s development plans

Abstract

Five year development plans prepared by the Ministry of Development, formerly known as State Planning Organization (SPO), are the main policy documents indicating the growth Turkey will realize in economic, social and cultural fields in the long term. Tourism is one of the elements to be considered in the development of a country. A country’s tourism policy is first prepared in the development plans. While preparing the tourism policy, precautions towards all kinds of tourism activities are referred. The existing state of the tourism and the state it should be are given. Tourism activities are continuously diversifying. The purpose of this study is to reveal the tourism policies in the development plans, to determine the existing state of the tourism sector and the targets for future. Also, another purpose is to emphasize the problems the sector faces as well as possible problems that could arise in the future. Suggestions are given towards these problems .