Dossier: Tourism in Turkey A close look at Turkey's tourism industry, once regarded as a key sector for economic development by both local communities and the government, now reveals its significant long-term environmental, social, and economic drawbacks. Image credits Torn between development and preservation Article One the one hand, the touristic sector is expected to supply the struggling Turkish economy with a reliable stream of income. On the other hand, the environmentally conscious public and activists are more and more aware and vocal about the immense negative impacts. By Nele Marten Beaches for whom? Article As the de-facto privatisation of the Turkish coastline continues, its accessibility becomes more and more a class issue, excluding local people with smaller incomes or other marginalised groups. By Nele Marten “Nature is our future” Article Yasemin and Cemal, two small business owners residing in Çıralı, are witnesses to the rapid and uncontrolled transformation of this small town. They believe the area needs more trees, not more roads and hotels, and they question the concept of industrial tourism. By Nele Marten “We failed in ecologically sensitive tourism and waste management” Interview According to Tunçay Koç, an experienced lawyer with years of expertise in environmental cases, forest and water resources—critical assets for the future—are being depleted at an accelerated pace due to privatization policies. By Nele Marten
Torn between development and preservation Article One the one hand, the touristic sector is expected to supply the struggling Turkish economy with a reliable stream of income. On the other hand, the environmentally conscious public and activists are more and more aware and vocal about the immense negative impacts. By Nele Marten
Beaches for whom? Article As the de-facto privatisation of the Turkish coastline continues, its accessibility becomes more and more a class issue, excluding local people with smaller incomes or other marginalised groups. By Nele Marten
“Nature is our future” Article Yasemin and Cemal, two small business owners residing in Çıralı, are witnesses to the rapid and uncontrolled transformation of this small town. They believe the area needs more trees, not more roads and hotels, and they question the concept of industrial tourism. By Nele Marten
“We failed in ecologically sensitive tourism and waste management” Interview According to Tunçay Koç, an experienced lawyer with years of expertise in environmental cases, forest and water resources—critical assets for the future—are being depleted at an accelerated pace due to privatization policies. By Nele Marten
