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Journals / Türk Coğrafya Dergisi / 2026 / Sayı: 89

Mediated encounters: Arab tourists’ identity and consumption practices in Istanbul

Dolayımlanmış karşılaşmalar: İstanbul’da Arap turistlerin kimlik inşası ve tüketim pratikleri

Jailan Musa(Duhok private technical institute, health administration department)0000-0002-6686-0930
Mehmet Şeremet(Van Yüzüncü Yıl University)0000-0003-3416-4794
Emine Cihangir(VAN YÜZÜNCÜ YIL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-8514-6655
Voon Chin Phua(Gettysburg College)0000-0002-1368-9121
Pages
185–194
Publication Date
2026-06-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings reveal that Turkish television dramas and popular media play a pivotal role in shaping Arab tourists’ imaginaries of Istanbul, fostering affective connections that influence their on-site behaviors and aesthetic choices.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study investigates how Arab tourists construct and negotiate the meanings of their visits to Istanbul through the intertwined lenses of media, identity, and consumption practices.
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Key Findings & Data:Moving beyond conventional analyses of tourist motivation, the research explores how these visitors reconcile traditional and modern experiences, interpret mediated representations of the city, and utilize digital platforms to curate and share their travel narratives.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings reveal that Turkish television dramas and popular media play a pivotal role in shaping Arab tourists’ imaginaries of Istanbul, fostering affective connections that influence their on-site behaviors and aesthetic choices.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:tüketim pratikleri · Arab turistler · İstanbul

Abstract

This study investigates how Arab tourists construct and negotiate the meanings of their visits to Istanbul through the intertwined lenses of media, identity, and consumption practices. Moving beyond conventional analyses of tourist motivation, the research explores how these visitors reconcile traditional and modern experiences, interpret mediated representations of the city, and utilize digital platforms to curate and share their travel narratives. Employing a qualitative design, the study draws on in-depth interviews, participant observations, and a focus group discussion conducted with 26 Arab tourists and seven local guides. The findings reveal that Turkish television dramas and popular media play a pivotal role in shaping Arab tourists’ imaginaries of Istanbul, fostering affective connections that influence their on-site behaviors and aesthetic choices. Tourists often re-enact media-inspired experiences, merging cultural familiarity with aspirations for cosmopolitan modernity. Simultaneously, local guides act as cultural mediators, translating and contextualizing media narratives for visitors. The study contributes to a nuanced understanding of how media consumption, identity performance, and tourism practices intersect in the contemporary urban spaces. It concludes by highlighting the implications of mediated tourism for destination marketing and cultural representation in Türkiye.

Özet

Bu çalışma, Arap turistlerin İstanbul ziyaretlerine yükledikleri anlamları; medya, kimlik ve tüketim pratiklerinin iç içe geçmiş boyutları üzerinden nasıl inşa ettiklerini ve müzakere ettiklerini incelemektedir. Turist motivasyonuna yönelik geleneksel analizlerin ötesine geçen araştırma, ziyaretçilerin geleneksel ve modern deneyimleri nasıl uzlaştırdıklarını, kente ilişkin dolayımlanmış temsilleri nasıl yorumladıklarını ve dijital platformları seyahat anlatılarını kurgulamak ve paylaşmak amacıyla nasıl kullandıklarını ele almaktadır. Nitel bir araştırma tasarımına dayanan çalışma; 26 Arap turist ve yedi yerel rehberle gerçekleştirilen derinlemesine görüşmeler, katılımcı gözlemler ve bir odak grup görüşmesinden elde edilen verilere dayanmaktadır. Bulgular, Türk televizyon dizileri ve popüler medyanın, Arap turistlerin İstanbul’a yönelik imgelerini şekillendirmede merkezi bir rol oynadığını ve bu süreçte oluşan duygulanımsal bağların, turistlerin yerinde davranışlarını ve estetik tercihlerini etkilediğini ortaya koymaktadır. Turistlerin sıklıkla medya esinli deneyimleri yeniden canlandırdıkları, kültürel aşinalık ile kozmopolit modernlik arzusunu birleştirdikleri görülmektedir. Bu süreçte yerel rehberler, medya anlatılarını ziyaretçiler için tercüme eden ve bağlamsallaştıran kültürel aracılar olarak işlev görmektedir. Çalışma, çağdaş kentsel mekânlarda medya tüketimi, kimlik performansı ve turizm pratiklerinin nasıl kesiştiğine dair nüanslı bir anlayış sunmaktadır. Son olarak, dolayımlanmış turizmin Türkiye’de destinasyon pazarlaması ve kültürel temsil üzerindeki etkilerine dikkat çekmektedir.

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Cite This Article

Musa, J., Şeremet, M., Cihangir, E., Phua, V. C., *, M. Ş. (2026). Mediated encounters: Arab tourists’ identity and consumption practices in Istanbul. Türk Coğrafya Dergisi, Sayı: 89, 185–194. https://doi.org/10.17211/tcd.1931955

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