Culture as a Tourism Resource: The Case of North Cyprus (TRNC)

Abstract

The aim of this article is to highlight the cultural aspects and components of a Mediterranean island where tourism is the main economic sector. Today, tourism is the gateway to the global world, where culture and heritage is a significant part of the tourism product. There are numerous studies indicating that cultural attractions are a fundamental motivation in a tourist's decision to visit a destination. This study attempts to answer the question whether or not tourism planners and policy makers are aware of cultural values as a motivating factor while, at the same time, how do they go about upholding the values of cultural uniqueness in the context of the tourism industry, as well as in the society as a whole? What sort of plans/policies are in place to support or facilitate moving towards realizing these goals? An assumption made in this article is that, if governments and tourism policy makers do not clearly define their cultural parameters and values, along with appropriate strategies to restore/sustain their authenticity, it is likely that most of the cultural uniqueness associated with a particular destination will be underutilized and eventually lost. This, in itself, will undermine the product diversity of Northern Cyprus (formally known as the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus–TRNC), which is perceived or branded as nothing more than a sun, sea, sand destination. In this article a qualitative research strategy has been employed and in-depth semistructured interview questions have been administered to the informants in numerous culturally involved institutions. The study revealed that, notwithstanding the rich cultural assets and abundance of its heritage, Northern Cyprus has not been able to develop a clear strategy towards cultural and heritage planning for the purposes of tourists' consumption, and also for the purpose of upholding certain aspects of cultural capital essential for social and economic progress. The study revealed that the approach of both policy makers and institutions have been superficial, and lack a fundamental understanding of the issues involved in achieving a sustainable harmony between culture as a tourism resource, and tourism as an economic tool.