Residential tourism in Northern Cyprus. Motivation factors of tourists towards NC.

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to analyze the motivational factors of second home purchases in Northern Cyprus and also to provide a better understanding of second home motives. The analyzing was done by interviewing people who already have a property in NC or are thinking about a purchase. The attitudes of second home owners are investigated in order to assess the pull factors of Northern Cyprus for second home owners. This study could be useful for further research as well as for the Tourism Association of Northern Cyprus. The theoretical framework is based on second-homes phenomenon overview and definition. Then the motivational factors in owning a second home overseas are discussed. Also, different types of consumer segmentation are reviewed. For a better understanding of a destination place which is related to the empirical study, the background of the Turkish part of Cyprus and tourism development in Northern Cyprus are described. The research was made using the qualitative study method. A survey was conducted in order to collect the empirical data. A questionnaire was designed in English and in Russian specifically for the interview. The Russian language was used in the interviewing process. The respondents were Russian tourists and they were presented with a questionnaire with open ended questions. The results of the interview indicated that the main push factors are affected by the background of respondents – the place of residence and culture. The main pull factors are affected by the features of a destination place. Turkish part of the island is a very attractive place to visit for the Russian tourists. More tourists come to NC every year with a desire to purchase a property there for the family and for their children for now and in the future. As a result, residential tourism makes an impact on tourism development of Northern Cyprus, and thus makes a contribution to the economy of the Turkish Part of Northern Cyprus.