Diaspora Tourism: A Study on Travel Motivations and Loyalty to the Homeland of Third Generation Turks in Germany

Abstract

This research was conducted in order to examine the motivations, travel patterns and homeland loyalty of third-generation Turkish diaspora individuals in Germany who travel to Türkiye. Various diaspora communities around the world have different travel motivation and experiences, migration history, cultural identity and attachment to the motherland. Positive, negative and neutral thoughts develop after visiting the motherland, and this situation differs from generation to generation and is the subject of research. In this study, semi-structured faceto- face interviews were conducted with 25 Turkish participants residing in the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia for the purpose of data collection. The obtained data were evaluated by content analysis. While the participants usually visit Türkiye with their family and friends, their motivations for traveling are to see the sights of Türkiye, enjoy Turkish cuisine, learn cultural and historical information, visit relatives and friends, fulfill family obligations and participate in various activities. By traveling to Türkiye, participants strengthen their ties with the motherland by protecting and maintaining the Turkish identity, which is both their and their children's national identities, getting to know Turkish culture on the spot, and learning the language better. Even if they were born and raised in Germany, the participants enrich the transfer of national culture, belonging and identity through diaspora tourism.