Do "Culture Road Festivals" Create Economic Impact in Cities Where They Are Held? | Discover Edirne, Turkey: Things to Do, History & Cultural Highlights

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The Culture Road Festivals held in 16 cities last year gained significant attention in the respective cities. In the meantime, research companies such as Optimar investigated whether these festivals had an economic impact on the local regions.

The company conducted a survey with 3,750 participants in cities like Bursa, Antalya, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Samsun, Van, Trabzon, Erzurum, Çanakkale, and Nevşehir and shared the following results:

Survey Results:

Participation in Festivals: About 20% of the participants indicated that they had attended cultural, art, or tourism festivals for commercial purposes, showing that these festivals have the potential to offer commercial opportunities.
Awareness of the Culture Road Festivals: 59.9% of participants stated they were aware of the Turkey Culture Road Festivals, indicating that these festivals are widely known.
Economic Satisfaction: A large portion of the participants expressed satisfaction with the economic benefits these festivals brought to their businesses. 14.3% were very satisfied, and 37.1% were satisfied.
Visitor Profile: During the festival period, the majority of visitors to businesses were local people (41.2%). Additionally, domestic tourists (21%) and foreign tourists (10.5%) also played significant roles.
Contribution to Local Economy: The majority (58.2%) of participants believed that the Culture Road Festivals had a positive impact on local merchants and the local economy.
Customer Portfolio: Many participants (55.9%) indicated that the festivals helped develop their customer portfolios.
Festival Frequency: The majority of participants (59.7%) preferred that the Culture Road Festivals be held annually and regularly.

Conclusion: The Culture Road Festivals have a significant impact on the local economy, generating tourism and commercial activity in the host cities. Businesses participating in the festivals have generally been satisfied with the economic benefits, and there is a strong preference for these events to be held regularly.

According to the survey results, the positive effects of the Turkey Culture Road Festivals continue to increase in cities where they are held each year. Although the festivals were held in 16 cities last year, this year, the number of cities has increased to 20 with the inclusion of Manisa, Mardin, Malatya, and Kayseri.

The Culture Road Festivals stimulate tourism and increase economic activity in the cities they are held. Specifically, the “Portakal Çiçeği Karnavalı” (Orange Blossom Carnival) in Adana is expected to attract 1.5 million people and generate an economic impact of over 5 billion Turkish Lira.

Additionally, the 8-month schedule for the 2025 Turkey Culture Road Festival, organized by the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), is as follows: