Chapter 9 Tourism in Turkmenistan
ISBN: 978-1-84950-920-6, eISBN: 978-1-84950-921-3
Publication date: 24 November 2010
Abstract
This chapter reviews the factors determining the characteristics of the tourism sector of Turkmenistan. Particular attention is given to the adoption of Islam resulting from Arabic, Seljuk, and Sufic cultural influences. The resulting distinctive form of Islam, incorporating pre-Islamic traditions and beliefs together with the persistence of tribalism, Soviet and post-Soviet governance, and the sociopolitical and economic characteristics of contemporary Turkmen society are considered in order to underpin an analysis of its underdeveloped and little-known tourism industry. An outline of the results of a small-scale preliminary case study of tourists in one of Turkmenistan's World Heritage Sites is presented as an illustration of current tourism activity and the future opportunities in its development.
Keywords
Citation
Edwards, J. (2010), "Chapter 9 Tourism in Turkmenistan", Scott, N. and Jafari, J. (Ed.) Tourism in the Muslim World (Bridging Tourism Theory and Practice, Vol. 2), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 121-139. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2042-1443(2010)0000002012
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited