Auditing managerial training needs of Turkish small and medium‐sized hotel enterprises

The number and importance of small and medium‐sized hotel enterprises (SMHEs) is increasing. As in many countries, SMHEs in Turkey play a great role in the economy, due to their significant share within the tourism industry in terms of number of enterprises, employment and investment. SMHEs accommodate a significant part of foreign and domestic visitors, especially in coastal areas. Therefore, the management of those establishments needs to be investigated. This article focuses on perceived training needs of the owner‐managers of the small and medium‐sized hotel establishments in a Turkish tourist town, Bodrum, on the Aegean coast and examines the impact of the current situation on the management practices. The findings indicate that the training level of the SMHEs at the managerial level is not satisfactory. This prevents the managers being successful in management and productive hotel operations. General outcomes can be drawn for hotel operators and tourism policy makers.