Tour guide's effect on making Turkey's image and marketing: A study on Malaysian tourists

The role of the tour guide evolved from being a one-sided narrator, in the 70s and before, to creating an interactive communication with tourists, and finally to creating a common service product by personalizing the tourism experience at personal level. The image of the destination that has been perceived by the market has been a subject that has been examined or a long time. The main purpose of the study with a destination marketing concept was set forth to analyze the Malaysian tourists' perceptions and expectations. A field study was designed and implemented in the light of the conceptual framework developed. In this context, Turkey's overall image and the target destination image in Malaysians was also important. Turkey's tourism in the introductory part of the study was explained for its general characteristics and in light of statistical data concerning Malaysian tourists. In the first part, the general concepts related to tourism, tourist concept, tourist guide and tourist guide expectations was revealed in the light of changing global tourism trends. In the second part; The concept of image, the concept of tourist image and destination marketing was explained. Also, in the Far East, specifically in Malaysia being mostly populated by muslim, if Turkey has image problems and advantages was questioned. In general, compelling destinations of Turkey and its cultural characteristics which were appealing to Malaysian tourists were mentioned. In the third chapter, a case study of Malaysian group of tourists was created with an the aim to give prospects about effect of a tour guide servicing Malaysian tourist and marketing Turkey as a tourist destination. This followed a successful application of questionnaire, data collection, data analysis and interpreting the valueable data in the light of creating a beter image of Turkey.