Political Crisis and Tourism: From the 2015–16 Security Events to Turkey’s Current Challenges

This discussion paper examines the impact of political crises on international tourism, using Turkey as a case study. As one of the world’s most visited destinations, Turkey has faced recurring political tensions, including terrorism and a failed coup in 2015–16. Recent findings by Alpaslan and Firgo (2025) show significant long-term declines on tourism demand following this period. In 2025, new unrest linked to the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor has again raised concerns. Early monthly data indicate that most of the deviations in March and April may be the result of calendar effects rather than political developments. This paper reviews results from the literature on previous security events in Turkey and discusses possible implications for current events. It highlights the need for crisis management and further research to enhance sector resilience.