Leisure activity preferences and constraints: perspectives from Turkey

Abstract

Leisure is a growing topic of interest in developing economies such as Turkey. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to explore leisure activity preferences and the perceptions of constraints to leisure among Turkish university students. For this exploratory study, a sample of 822 students provided responses through a paper-and-pencil survey administered in classes in four Ankara universities. The top leisure activity preferences for all respondents are home-based, sports and social. Women prefer social as well as cultural activities more than men. Access to opportunities is the biggest constraint to leisure, which illustrates the structural and cultural dimensions of leisure. Few differences, however, are found related to the preferred activities and potential constraints related to gender, socio-economic status or amount of available leisure time. The findings are interpreted in light of the emerging literature about leisure and culture in Turkey.