Films, TV series as instruments of Türkiye's cultural, tourism diplomacy

On a global scale, the film and television industries have in recent years begun to be regarded not only as fields of entertainment and cultural production, but also as strategic tools that shape and direct tourism flows. With the widespread expansion of digital platforms, visual narratives do more than simply draw audiences into a story. They also recode cities, natural landscapes and cultural practices as destinations worth visiting. This trend, commonly referred to as screen tourism or film-induced tourism, has led states and local governments to view film and television productions as tourism instruments that are more effective and enduring than traditional promotional campaigns. Spain’s historic cities reaching millions of visitors through television series, or South Korea’s rising tourism demand alongside its export of popular culture, clearly demonstrate that the relationship between visual storytelling and travel motivation has now acquired a structural character.

In this context, numerous successful cases can be cited. For example, the impact of "Game of Thrones" on Dubrovnik continues to this day. However, the most comprehensive and systematic example in recent years has been the Korean Wave (Hallyu). Through the extensive export of content in music, television series and films, the Korean Wave has gradually evolved into a broad cultural and tourism ecosystem extending to tourism, consumer products, language and cul