RELIGION AND TOURISM IN TURKEY: AN ECONOMICALLY EMPIRICAL STUDY

Abstract

People prefer to consume products and services that do not violate their religious beliefs. On the other hand, this tendency has particularly influenced their preferences and activities in the spheres of banking, food, and tourism. The Halal concept, which is important for Muslims, is particularly salient in the context of tourism. This study examines the impacts Muslim tourists and non-Muslim tourists have on Turkey’s tourism income by using regression analysis. This study focuses on the period between 1996 and 2015. The study also compares the impacts Arab tourists and non-Arab tourists have on Turkey’s tourism income. The results reveal that Muslim tourists contribute less to Turkey’s tourism income than their non-Muslim counterparts. On the other hand, we have also found that Arab tourists contribute more to Turkey’s tourism income than non-Arab tourists.