Globalisation refers to the process of international integration and connection between countries, which occurs globally, affecting many aspects of society such as economic, cultural, social, political and religious ( Al Rodhan, 2006). Globalisation has been a continual and growing process for centuries; although the process has developed at a faster pace since the beginning of the 20th century. For the purpose of this essay, I will be assessing how the process of globalisation has affected tourism, with particular focus on tourism in Turkey.
Tourism is believed to have originated in the UK, as a result of the Industrial Revolution. The concept of travel as a way of spending one’s leisure time was promoted primarily to factory owners and traders, also referred to as the new middle class .(Bized, 2004)
With the growth of international trade and subsequently electronic commerce, tourism has now become one of the world’s fastest growing industries. Countries that excel in the tourism sector can benefit from stronger infrastructure and economy; creating jobs and supporting the local trade. The Middle East and Asia had the largest growth of tourism in 2010, although Europe still had the largest volume of tourists. Studies have shown that there is a positive correlation between the level of tourism in a country, and the countries’ position in the global context. According to the World Tourism Organisation, the top ten most visited countries across the globe are France, U.S.A, China, Spain, Italy, Turkey, U.K, Germany, Malaysia and Mexico respectively. In 2013, Turkey had almost 40 million international tourist arrivals; an 8.7% increase from 2011, and ranked as the 6th most popular tourist destination.
Globalisation has massively affected the tourism industry, with the advancements in technology allowing for people to travel great distances relatively easily and quickly. Technology which has aided the tourism sector includes modes of transportation, virtual payment methods, communication and information. It can also lead to differentiation on tourist profiles. The country’s affection of the tourists all over the World is connected with transportation Technologies which have developed side by side with information technologies. The speed increase in information and technology helped people to reach to the natural and cultural characteristics of distinct places all over the world. In many ways, it can be said that globalisation and tourism has had and will continue to have an interdependent relationship.
Political relations between countries also affect tourism, especially due to travel regulations and permissions. For example, some countries have made agreements whereby residents can travel between their countries without the need of obtaining a visa. In this case, political relationships between Turkey and Greece is a prime example. There has been a heat between these two countries in last few decade.But with the new regulations and permissions...
