The Effect of Casino Tourism and Reentry to the Casino Gaming Industry - The Case of Turkey

Abstract

The economic return of the tourism industry is increasing day by day. Destinations that want to increase their share of this increasing economic return want to attract potential tourists by diversifying the tourism services that they offer. In this context, destinations develop and implement special-interest tourism policies such as dark tourism, gastronomy tourism, ecological tourism, balloon tourism, or casino tourism. Considering the economic benefits of casino tourism, interest in the subject has increased. The main objective of the study is to examine positive and negative effects of the closure of casinos on tourism in Turkey, reveal Turkey's potential within the current casino tourism in the world, identify problems that may arise with casino tourism being allowed, and propose solutions. For this purpose, data were obtained through interviews with 10 hotel managers, who experienced about hotel casinos. The results showed that the closure of casinos in Turkey had negative effects on tourism industry and Turkey has significant casino tourism potential. As a result of interview, it can be suggested that artificially developed a touristic casino city in which entry and exits are made by foreign passport and can be followed with the latest systems can be created. There is paucity research on the reentry of casino tourism in Turkey. The results of study aim to provide insight to strategy and policy makers and relevant institutions.