The close examination of the renewal of urban hotels against obsolescence; the case of Istanbul

Tourism activity in cities has been existed throughout history. Cities have been visited in consequence of commercial, sports and relaxation activities of various kinds. The geographical, cultural, historical features of the cities which are important sources for tourism even today are presented to visitors in the natural life of city habitants. For the continuity of the urban tourism having an important large market share in tourism there is a need of different products these days and new strategies and politics are practiced. Besides the developing technology has an effect upon the users' expectations and marketing methods while bringing about alternation of the datas directed towards management and organization. Hotel business, the most important component of tourism, enter in the obsolescence process in a short time, affected by changes in question. The Hotels which offer high quality service for both guests and the businesses with an active design and a project process, are the structures, with high cost and a vast number of complicated inputs as an investment, whose manufacturing process requires interdisciplinary working. With various assessment methods and the restoration or replanning (renewal) to be made in comparison with the order of priority of the innovation the hotel needs and the identification and the degree of the problem of obsolescence, their service qualities at business can be improved, the unnecessary destruction and damage done to environment will be prevented by extending the life cycle. The first chapter is the opening chapter which is consisted of study goal, literature review and hypotheses. In the second chapter tourism concept and urban tourism were examined at the same time as the developments and politics in this field in Turkey and all over the world. In the third chapter, the concept of obsolescence caused by changes was identified as the effects of developing technology, politics, visitor expectations, marketing strategies and structural corruption on tourism managements were explained on the grounds that the types of obsolescence could be classified. In the fourth chapter, project process clarifying the lifecycle of an existing hotel was analysed, actions taking place in a process, decision-makers at the whole stage were described. Furthermore, the assessment methods to be done in relation to the causes of obsolescence process were stated and stages concerning the redesign of an existing hotel were explained on a scheme accordingly. In the fifth chapter, the lifecycles of the international İstanbul Sheraton Hotel which was constructed with the first Tourism Law in İstanbul, the international Movenpick Hotel which was put into service in Maslak at 1988 with the support of Tourism Encouragement Law and the historical Pera Palas Hotel, were considered. The changes they have undergone and their reasons since the first period they have gone into service up to present day were stated. In the last chapter the actions to be taken for the sustainability of ecologic and made (artificial) environment that would extend lifespan of the hotel structures and reduce demolition were introduced with the acquired results. Key words: City tourism, obsolescence, Project manangement, life process of hotel building, hotel design