A research on applicability of governance on tourism policymaking in Turkey

Main purpose of this study is to investigate whether governance is implemented in tourism policymaking process in Turkey. Alternative definitions of public policy, public policy making and both government and non-government actors were explained in the study. As a public policy sample tourism policy and why states have to make a policy in regard to policy has been discussed. In addition, governance approaches, governance and tourism policy, and theoretical framework was explained that is a necessity for the field research. Phenomenological research design, one of the qualitative approaches, and criterion sampling in the scope of purposeful sampling was used to answer the research question. In this context, tourism stakeholders might play role in tourism policy making process have been included in the study. By using semi-structured interview technique, face to face meeting had been conducted with seven different shareholder agents and gathered datas have been analyzed through descriptive analysis method. Research data have been coded in accordance with the literature explained in the study and code maps related to themes have been created by utilizing qualitative data software. Major conclusions derived from the research are that in tourism policy making process in Turkey, different level of participation by stakeholders is achieved, coordination and collaboration is deficient, tourism policy and Ministry of Culture and Tourism does not adequately respond to the actors' demand and needs, transparency is not adequately provided among the stakeholders, and thereby there is not an efficient governance application on this process.