Difference in Destination Image Perception of Foreign Tourists Visiting Istanbul According to the Type and Characteristics of the Visit

Abstract

The importance of tourism and awareness about tourism is increasing day by day. Tourism destinations strive to host more tourists by increasing their attractiveness. There are many factors that affect tourists when deciding on their destination. One of the important ones among these is the destination image. In this research, it was investigated whether the destination image perceptions of foreign tourists visiting Istanbul differ according to their type of visit and the characteristics of their visit. The data of the research was collected by survey technique from 448 foreign tourists visiting Istanbul. The findings of the research showed that the destination image factors evaluated at the highest level by foreign tourists visiting Istanbul are visual cultural experience and city life, and the destination image factors evaluated at the lowest level are free life and sea-related entertainment venues. In the study, it was concluded that the destination image perception levels of foreign tourists visiting to Istanbul for the first time differ significantly according to the number of visits and duration of visit.