Culture, tourism and regeneration process in Istanbul

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the relationship between culture and tourism, and the urban re-development process in Istanbul. Design/methodology/approach – The paper focuses on the case of Istanbul and reviews the city’s goal of being a financial, tourism, culture and innovation center. Findings – The paper first points to the facts and main attractions of tourism as being tangible and intangible, and to the effects of national and local policies on cultural tourism development. In the second part, the review focuses on existing and ongoing projects in order to discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and the role of culture and tourism. Moreover, the paper presents a discussion of the conflicts based on main concepts such as consumption-led, production-led, economic development or quality of life goals, inclusive or exclusive processes, uniqueness or serial reproduction. Originality/value – The findings of the paper contribute to the literature by considering regeneration along with culture and tourism.