Turkey as a Destination: A Study of Sensory Brand Associations

Abstract

This study explores Turkish sensory destination branding using the perceptions of US citizens that have or have not visited Turkey. Study participants had sensory brand associations of Turkey through smell, taste, sound, and sight. The most frequently mentioned associations were scent and taste of food (47%), the sounds of busy urban areas (31%), the call to prayers (26%), and architectural sights (29%). Visitors associated Turkey with the scent of flowers, the taste of sweets and food, and the feel of cotton and silk to a significantly greater extent than nonvisitors. Compared to nonvisitors, visitors also associated Turkey to a significantly greater extent with the architectural images, beaches, and mosques, as well as the sounds of busy urban areas, call to prayers, music, and people talking. In aggregate, these findings have implications for the destination branding process.