The relationship between policy and power in the development of new Silk Road tourism in terms of tourism stakeholders in Turkey

Silk Road has become a current issue in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative. The reintroduction of the Silk Road brought with it New Silk Road tourism. Turkey's sources of supply and geopolitical position can give the country an advantage in terms of New Silk Road Tourism. Turkey's ability to increase its market share and income from this type of tourism can only be possible if it manages its potential with effective policies. In this regard, this study aims to reflect the ideas of tourism stakeholders for the development of the New Silk Road tourism in Turkey, study the obstacles to the development of the New Silk Road tourism, and finally reveal the power relationship between stakeholders in the policy-making process for the New Silk Road tourism. The research was designed according to the phenomenological approach of qualitative research design, and the research data was obtained through semi-structured interviews with 26 tourism stakeholders, including senior managers of the relevant government departments, representatives of non-governmental organizations, local managers working in various tourism-related institutions, and senior managers working in the private sector. Purposive sampling was used to access information sources. According to the findings of the study, it is important to establish stakeholder cooperation, to create routes related to the New Silk Road, to develop transportation facilities, to provide visa convenience and promotional activities for the development of New Silk Road tourism. The obstacles that may be encountered in the development process of the New Silk Road tourism were identified as lack of coordination, lack of financial resources, bureaucratic obstacles, lack of understanding of the importance of the subject, and lack of knowledge. In this thesis study, four types of power were identified among the stakeholders in the policy-making process for the New Silk Road tourism in Turkey, including coercive power, legitimate power, economic power, and expert power. It was concluded that power relations between stakeholders would be effective during the policy-making process for the New Silk Road tourism. Consequently, the contributions of the research to the literature and practice were discussed, and suggestions were made for the researchers and the practice.