EXPANSION AND GROWTH OF HOTEL INDUSTRY IN ISTANBUL

Abstract

Istanbul is one of the popular destinations of the world which stands 2^nd in most visited cities in 2024. Hotel industry in Istanbul has also grown rapidly in relation to growing number of tourists. The present study is aimed to analyze the expansion of hotels and lodging facilities in Istanbul from 1988 to 2021 to provide detailed insights of growth patterns and trends emerged over time. The research employs quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluate the collected data. Quantitative data is collected from yearly bulletins of statistics prepared by Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Besides, archives of Istanbul Municipality are also evaluated to find robust information. Qualitative analysis of literature and official reports are done to further enhance the reliability of research to generate valid results. Findings reveal that Istanbul experienced a rapid growth of hotel construction during late 1980s and early 1990s. The reasons behind such fast growth include increased tourist arrivals because of the city’s popularity as historical, cultural and religious center. However, from 1997 to 2007, the hotel industry faced stagnation due to economic crises and political instability. After 2007, the industry again started to expand, peaking in 2016 until 2021, indicating the resilience of city to recover from economic crises and pandemic effects. on growth of hotel industry in Istanbul serves critical insights for development and planning of future urban strategies in view of city’s position as hub of economic activities.