Copying the Identity through Tourism Architecture: “Theme Hotels” in Antalya

Located on the Mediterranean Coast, Antalya is one of the most significant tourist destinations in Turkey. Tourism in Antalya began to improve in the mid-1980s and increased rapidly during the period 1990-2000. Following this period, the number of tourists visiting the region increased exponentially because of the growth of mass tourism, coinciding with drastic changes in the country’s economic and political situation. Developments in Antalya’s tourism sector have resulted in an increase in the investments in the region, as well as nearby sub-regions that have a large number of tourist facilities. Millions of tourists from around the world visit the region annually. Different styles have been determinant on tourism architecture in Antalya within different periods; international trends, local references and orientalist approaches were effective. Since the 1990s, “theme hotels” in the region are re-producing spaces as copied identities. This research examines these practices, looking specifically at six “theme hotels” and focuses on the larger environmental context to discuss how copying urban identity can lead to the creation of commodified images of place in Antalya.