Exploring the Role of Egyptian International Students as a Generator of VFR Tourism to Turkey

This paper explores the importance of Egyptian international students in stimulating VFR tourism to Turkey. Particularly, it seeks to examine the travel behavior and the economic impacts of VFR tourism induced by Egyptian students. Primary data have been collected from 176 Egyptians studying at Turkey’s universities through an online survey. Chi-Square test has been used to examine how the travel behaviors of VFR stimulated by Egyptian international students can impact Turkey’s economy. The results showed that there is a significant relationship between the purpose of the trip and VFR length of stay and the season of their visits. Furthermore, the findings revealed an evident relationship between the type of accommodations used by VFR travellers and their length of stay in Turkey. Accordingly, the results clarified that Egyptian students have a potential impact on Turkey’s economy through domestic and VFR tourism they induced. The research ends up with significant marketing implications for accommodation providers, destination marketing organizations and the Council of Higher Education in Turkey