The document outlines a study on social tourism in Turkey, discussing its characteristics, target groups, market trends, and challenges such as visa issues for Turkish citizens. It highlights the growth of tourism, development of health and medical tourism, and the potential for social tourism through the Calypso program, which requires significant involvement from public and private sectors. Recommendations for enhancing social tourism include holiday exchange programs and improved cooperation between sectors.

1. Calypso study on social tourism in Turkey
 Some general information
 The main characteristics of
tourism in Turkey
 The 4 target groups
 Analysis of market trends in
Turkey
 Visa : a major problem for
Turkish citizens
 The development of health and
medical tourism
 Turkey and Calypso program :
the feasability of social tourism
 Recommandations and
expectations

2. Some general information
 Located on the borders
of Asia and Europe :
Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran,
Iraq and Syria
 73,7 million inhabitants,
or about 1% of world
population. The urban
population accounts for
75% of the population
 Social inequalities
between the West and the
East, and the urban and the
rural
 GDP : more of 7 billion $
in 2010
 Unemployment rate in
2011: 11.5%

3. Tourism in Turkey
 A huge variety of
destinations: historic
sites, archaeological
zones, numerous resorts
 A deep evolution during
the last 20 years based on
attracting foreign tourists
with a 3's offer: see, sand
and sun
 Taking into account
recent for social and
domestic tourism :
Ministry’s “Tourism
Strategy of Turkey-2023”
 Majority of the
population can't go on
holiday because of a low
income level and the
difficulty to get visa to
visit EU countries

4. Target groups :
characteristics, support
systems, demand drivers

5. Senior
 7% of the whole population
 5 million people
 1,7 million went on holiday on
2008
 85,5 % have never travelled
abroad
 They have financial difficulties,
visa problem, health problems
 They want to go in Europe, to
have social and cultural events,
and need accessible equipment
 They are open to go on holiday
off-season

6. Senior
 No specific funding systems for
senior citizens
 Some associations as the Turkey
Association of Retired People
offer very inexpensive stays in
their accommodation facilities
 The resort hotels have several
special offers during the off-
season period : long stay clients,
six weeks or more, have a 15%
discount. An extra 10% discount
can be added to the usual 50%
discount during the winter period

7. Young people
 20% of the population
 14,5 million people
 3,6 million people between 15
and 24 years old went on
holiday
 Main reasons for non-
participation are financial
reasons and difficulty to obtain
visa for an EU country
 They want to go in European
countries, to have cultural
event and leisure

8. Young people
 No financial support from public
authorities but contributions are given
by the municipalities or district
governments for some accommodation
facilities or youth camps (managed by
the General Directorate for Youth and
Sports)
 Specific infrastructures have been
created to enable youth's with disability
to participate to camp activities
 Specific discounts for students visiting
museums, monuments, natural and
national parks
 Specific discounts concerning
transportation (Turkish Railways,
Turkish Airlines)

9. Families facing difficult circumstances
 11 million people
 17% of Turkey population lived
below the poverty level (in 2008)
 14,7% of the Turkish families can
afford to go on holiday
 Main destinations are close to
their residence and hometowns
 Youth camps are organised for the
underprivileged young people
between 11 and 16
 No specific funding systems for
social tourism were identified

10. Adults with disabilities
 8,4 million people (in 2002)
 12,29% of the population
 Tourism for disabled people is mainly regional tourism
 Financial difficulties then accessibility to information and services make
domestic tourism and abroad holiday difficult for disabled people
 No specific funding systems
 Some monthly or quarterly financial supports and some special offers such
as : visit of museums, access to national parks, natural parks, nature
protection areas and natural monuments are free of charge

11. Analysis of market trends in Turkey
 Tourism industry in Turkey has
reported significant growth rate
in recent time : 26,3 million of
international tourist arrivals in
2008, 22 billion dollar of tourism
receipts
 In the last few years, the  Young people : the Ministry of
Turkish Government aims to Education's dormitories are open
to welcome local and foreign
extend the tourist season for young people, between 18-26
the other months of the years years old during the 15 July to 01
(not only summer period) September period

12. Analysis of market trends in turkey
 Sustainable tourism aspects :
private and public actors are
more and more involved in
this field. The Turkish Hotels
Federation launched an
environment-friendly
Enterprise Certification (Eco-
labelling) called 'The White
Flag'.
 There is a large involvement of
the NGO sector in sustainable
tourism with various offers
that are more and more
promoted by travel agencies

13. Visa : a major problem for Turkish citizens
 Due to this difficulty to get a visa, Turkish citizens can’t take
part in a social tourism exchange program
 Opportunities exist for the development of concrete products
intended to a specific market segment at the European level
and for the development of international exchange
mechanism
 In 2008, most of tourists visiting Turkey are European :
Germany (17%), Russia (11%), United Kingdom (8%)
 In the European market, Turkey as a positive image as a
tourism destination with its beaches, high-quality services
and hospitality
 Turkey is perceived as an affordable
travel destination

14. The development of
health and medical tourism
 In the next years, all the accommodation
facilities for disabled and elderly people
with mobility problems will be developed
in news hotels, holiday villages and
youth camps
 The modernization and the creation of
spa resorts, of private clinics near the
existing resorts and medical centres in the
tourism resorts show the wish of Turkey
to attract more disabled tourists
 The public and the private sector agree on
developing health and medical tourism,
and this sector is expected to see a
maximum growth (20%)

15. Turkey and Calypso program : the
feasability of social tourism
 Public and private actors like
to develop domestic and social
tourism
 They would like to integrate
the possible future network
that may be created thanks to
the Calypso program
 The development of social
tourism requires an important
involvement from the State
and more local and European
funding for the NGO’s
 Calypso program will allow a
transfer of good practices
between Turkey and European
countries already experienced
in this field

16. Recommandations and
expectations
RECOMMANDATIONS
 Holiday exchange programs
among countries for target
groups may be developed
through cooperation's studies
 Social tourism can be developed
in a parallel direction to the
natural growth of domestic and EXPECTATIONS
sustainable tourism
 Cooperation of health and tourism
sector, particularly for senior tourism
will allow Turkey to attract more and
more foreign tourists
 To facilitate the visa applications
for the travel groups that will
participate to the program is a major
condition

17. Thank you
for your attention