Two Distinct Groups of EU Immigrants in Coastal Turkey

Abstrakti

The Mediterranean and the Aegean coastal zone of Turkey has emerged as a new destination for lifestyle migrants from Northern Europe in the recent years. This article aims at drawing attention to the recent migration flow of EU citizens to Turkey in case of Marmaris – a tourism town located on the Turkish Riviera. The differences of EU citizens who settled in Marmaris are studied by considering their retirement status. The retired and non-retired EU citizens are compared as to their socio-economic and demographic characteristics, pull and push factors in their migration process, perceived problems in Turkey and intention to return. The research was conducted in 2008 and 2009. 131 participants are EU citizens who spend at least three months in a year in Marmaris. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed during the research. The factors that cause the migration of the Europeans towards Marmaris are similar with other destination countries along the Mediterranean as well as the other destinations in Turkey however the retired and the non-retired groups in Marmaris differ from each other in aspect of some characteristics.