ENRICHING THE SULTAN TRAIL WITH NORTH MACEDONIA'S OTTOMAN SITES

Abstract

Cultural tourism routes are typically designed for specific groups of travelers, offering opportunities to explore remnants of the past, both tangible and intangible. North Macedonia boasts a diverse array  if cultural relics dating back to the Ottoman period, including bazaars, bridges, hammams, bedestens, karavansarays, clock towers, mosques, and various other types of buildings. This research employs an experiential approach to investigate the feasibility of integrating selected Ottoman heritage sites in  North Macedonia (specifically Ohrid, Resen, and Bitola) into the existing Sultans Trail cultural route, which stretches from Vienna to Istanbul. Interviews with local tour guides, who are highly experienced in packaged tours tailored to Ottoman heritage, support the potential for extending the main cultural route. A concise summary of the proposed itinerary, informed by experiential judgment, leads to qualitative findings. Utilizing the Saint Gallen Destination Management model, the study maps out
strategic visitor flows, facilitating the integration of North Macedonia into the broader Sultan Trail route spanning 2,500 km. Finally, the research underscores the significance of this extension for further tourism development of the country.