Competitive powers of integrated micro destinations: The case of Edremit gulf

Changes in the demands and needs of consumers bring about some changes in the course of purchasing behavior, which is reduced from general to specific. Consumers' destination preferences are also changing, and the shift from large destinations to small destinations is accelerating. However, many activities that smaller micro destinations will carry out in order to evaluate consumers as customers also necessitate competition with their neighbors who are close to them and with whom they form a macro destination. Based on this, this research was carried out to determine and compare the competitiveness of Ayvalık, Burhaniye and Edremit micro destinations located within the borders of Edremit Gulf. The relevant destinations were considered as "integrated micro destinations" within the scope of the research, and developing a model and an index proposal for this structure is among the sub-objectives of the research. In line with the purpose of the research, the relational screening model, one of the quantitative research methods, was preferred as the research type. 670 participants, selected by convenience sampling method from among local visitors who experienced all relevant destinations, were reached and the data obtained through face-to-face survey application were used in the analysis of the research. Percentage and frequency analyses, validity analyses (explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses), reliability analyses (Cronbach's alpha coefficient), normal distribution analyses (skewness and kurtosis values), regression analyses and structural equation modelling were performed with the data obtained from the research participants. As a result of the analysis, it was concluded that the pre-experience factors (advertisement and promotion, location and accessibility), the experience factors (natural, historical and cultural resources, shopping services, entertainment services, touristic product range, gastronomic richness, security and crime possibilities, local people's perspective, service quality, price and cost suitability, infrastructure) and post-experience (satisfaction and post-purchase behaviors) factors had statistically significant effects on the satisfaction perceptions of the participants. However, it was found that the experience-order factors had statistically significant effects on satisfaction with the post-experience factors and satisfaction with the post-purchase behaviors. In the research, an index was proposed to reveal destination competitiveness and to determine which destination has how much impact on the integrated micro destination competitiveness structure. As a result of the analysis made for the index, it was concluded that the competitive power of Ayvalık destination was high, the competitive power of Edremit and Burhaniye destinations was low, and it was found that Ayvalık's contribution to the total competitive power was 46.43%. In addition, it has been determined that location and accessibility, local people's perspective, gastronomic richness and entertainment services competitiveness indicators are the factors affecting the satisfaction of domestic visitors in all Ayvalık, Burhaniye and Edremit micro destinations. Based on the findings obtained in the research, the conclusion section was created and suggestions were presented to researchers and industry stakeholders who want to conduct studies on the subject.