Could the Southern-Kurtalan Express be as Popular as the Eastern Express? Comparative SWOT Analysis

Abstract

Train tourism can play a critical role in the development of the tourism potential of the cities, such as increasing the tourism potential of the cities, economic contribution, reducing the differences in the level of development between regions, and employment in the cities where the railway line passes, and thus in the development of the country’s tourism potential. This situation occurred in the cities of the route where the Eastern Express passed. Therefore, the aim of this research is to present a comparative SWOT framework on whether the Southern-Kurtalan Express has the potential to be popular like the Eastern Express, and to explore the perception and behavioral tendencies of travelers towards the Southern-Kurtalan Express. While conducting interviews with 30 participants to create a SWOT matrix for the Southern-Kurtalan Express, the SWOT matrix for the Eastern Express was compiled from the relevant literature. Comparing the data from the participants and the SWOT matrices compiled from the literature, it can be deduced that the Southern-Kurtalan Express is as strong as the Eastern Express and even has more advantages but has similar weaknesses and that the Southern-Kurtalan Express faces significant opportunities as well as similarly wider threats. In this regard, the Southern-Kurtalan Express has a high potential to be as popular as the Eastern Express, but success can be achieved if all stakeholders act together to determine strategies for reducing the threat width and improving the potential.