Turkey explores motorcycle tourism

Turkey aims to increase tourism diversity and sustainability through motorcycle tourism.

Motorcycle tourism, which has become popular in recent years, offers new opportunities in Turkey's tourism sector. A PhD thesis research conducted at Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Tourism Management reveals that Turkey offers unique destinations for motorcycle tourism with its rich cultural and natural heritage.

INTEGRATION WITH NATURE AND DRIVING EXPERIENCE
The research fills an important gap in this field by defining the concept of motorcycle tourism in Turkey for the first time in academic terms. According to this definition, which aims to fill the gaps in the literature, motorcycle tourism is “the experience of one or more destinations with the spirit of adventure, freedom and discovery by making use of the goods and services produced by tourism enterprises while meeting their needs such as traveling, seeing, exploring, having fun, relaxing, integrating with nature and having a driving experience, provided that the participants use the motorcycle as a means of transportation and do not engage in any income-generating activities other than their primary place of residence.” This definition allows motorcycle tourism to be positioned as more than just a type of travel, but as a lifestyle full of adventure and a passion for discovery.

TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Motorcycle tourism offers an experience that provides individual satisfaction and contributes to the sustainable development of touristic destinations. The research aims to understand the travel trends and preferences of motorcycle tourists across Turkey and contribute to touristic product development strategies accordingly.

THEY RARELY PREFER LUXURY HOTELS
While 33.5% of motorcycle tourists prefer camping and glamping, 21.3% choose hostels and apart-hotels. Boutique hotels, chalets and bungalows are also popular accommodation options in touch with nature. Motorcycle tourists seeking higher comfort rarely choose luxury hotels.

BOTH SHORT AND LONG VACATIONS
According to the data, more than half of motorcycle tourists stay between 1-14 days in a year, while 23.6% stay for 30 days or more. This shows that motorcycle tourism offers both short and long term vacation options.

SPENDING PREFERENCES OF MOTORCYCLE TOURISTS
When the expenditure preferences of motorcycle tourists are analyzed, it is determined that they have the most difficulty in fuel, equipment and service (maintenance) expenses, while the least difficult expenditure items are social activities and food and beverages.

SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ROADS
According to the results of the research, it is emphasized that the development of motorcycle tourism requires the creation of safe and comfortable roads, a better understanding of the needs of motorcycle tourists and the development of touristic products. In addition, marketing and promotional activities for motorcycle tourism need to be strengthened.

AEGEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN REGIONS
The evaluation of different regions of Turkey in terms of motorcycle tourism reveals the strengths and weaknesses of each region and provides strategies to increase the sustainability of tourism. The Aegean and Mediterranean regions are considered the best regions in terms of natural, historical and cultural assets, while the Marmara region is negatively evaluated due to traffic density.

HAS A GREAT ATTRACTION POWER
Motorcycle tourism has a great attraction especially for tourists who love being in touch with nature, exploring cultural and historical riches and traveling freely. The research evaluates seven regions of Turkey in terms of motorcycle tourism, identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each region and offers strategies to increase the sustainability of tourism.

WILL CONTRIBUTE TO TOURISM DIVERSITY
In this context, increasing Turkey's motorcycle tourism potential and the recommendations made for the development of this type of tourism are of great importance to increase the diversity of the tourism sector and make Turkey more competitive in the international arena. Especially with its contribution to local economies, motorcycle tourism can have an important place among Turkey's tourism strategies.

HAS A GREAT POTENTIAL
The findings of the research reveal that Turkey has a great potential in motorcycle tourism and that this potential can be developed with the right strategies. Motorcycle tourism not only contributes to local economies, but also offers significant opportunities to achieve sustainable tourism goals. The detailed evaluations and recommendations on seven regions of Turkey serve as a roadmap for the further expansion and development of motorcycle tourism in Turkey.

COOPERATION AND SUPPORT
Turkey's aim to increase tourism diversity and attract more visitors with alternative tourism options shows the importance of such research and studies once again. The cooperation and support of all stakeholders is critical to increase interest in motorcycle tourism and ensure the sustainability of this field.

Source: https://www.tourismtoday.net

For more information and detailed analysis, you can access the full study from this link:
https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/TezGoster?key=weFMBHaUra8rsS5wi2bmHBWJ8hmLKfcGRP8lB0dp6MFpnNkJKg0T1bqKgd7I_TUa