ANKARA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkish TV dramas, long regarded as a cultural export asset, are increasingly being used as a promotional tool to boost Türkiye's tourism economy.
With an estimated global audience approaching one billion viewers in nearly 170 countries, Turkish TV series have placed the country among the world's top television exporters, according to Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.
Rather than serving merely as entertainment, Turkish dramas now function as immersive promotional platforms, providing international audiences with continuous exposure to Türkiye's landscapes, lifestyles, and social dynamics.
Tourism professionals argue that this process helps lower psychological barriers to travel, fostering a sense of familiarity long before a visitor arrives in the country.
The government has framed the sector as both an engine of economic growth and a key pillar of cultural diplomacy.
Speaking at a briefing in Istanbul on television and mini-series projects in late December, Ersoy emphasized a shift away from conventional destination marketing.
"Tourism promotion is no longer limited to visual showcases of landmarks," he said. "It increasingly depends on emotional engagement, narrative depth and lifestyle representation," the Turkish minister pointed out.
According to official figures, Türkiye ranks first globally in annual television episode production and remains among the top three exporters of TV content.
Export revenues have exceeded 1 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, reinforcing the sector's commercial significance, Ersoy noted.
For tourism planners, however, the more critical metric is behavioral impact. Industry representatives say international viewers exposed to long-running series develop an emotional attachment that translates into travel intent, often favoring locations featured on screen over traditionally marketed destinations.
Kaan Sahinalp, an Ankara-based tourism consultant, told Xinhua that inquiries from visitors are increasingly focusing on specific filming locations rather than general attractions.
"This indicates a shift from destination awareness to destination recognition," he said. "Travelers arrive with preconceived images and expectations shaped by storylines they followed for months or even years."
Sahinalp noted that the effect is particularly strong in Latin America, Arab countries and Southern Europe, where Turkish dramas often dominate prime-time television schedules.
To institutionalize this advantage, Türkiye has started integrating scripted storytelling into its tourism promotion strategy, creating short-form cinematic content for digital platforms that blends narrative fiction with destination branding.
Murat Toktas, a tourism professional specializing in destination marketing, said the approach aligns with broader shifts in global travel consumption.
"Today's travelers are influenced less by slogans and more by stories," Toktas told Xinhua. "A compelling series can shape perception, generate curiosity and trigger demand in ways traditional campaigns struggle to achieve," he pointed out.
Destinations featured prominently in popular dramas often experience measurable increases in online searches, bookings and economic activities shortly after broadcast, Toktas added.
Beyond their immediate economic impact, analysts argue, Turkish TV dramas are also reshaping Türkiye's international image.
"By portraying a society that blends tradition with modern urban life, the series offer a rather nuanced narrative that contrasts with one-dimensional or crisis-driven portrayals abroad," Omer Keskin, a movie analyst from Istanbul, said.
As Türkiye continues to integrate its creative industries into its tourism strategy, the intersection of TV production and destination marketing will further enhance the country's tourism economy, he added. ■
