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BASIC CHARACTERISTICS, MOTIVATIONS, AND ACTIVITIES OF ECOTOURISTS: A CASE OF LAKE VAN BASIN AREA, TURKEY

EKOTURİSTLERİN TEMEL ÖZELLİKLERİ, MOTİVASYONLARI VE AKTİVİTELERİ: VAN GÖLÜ HAVZASI ALANI ÖRNEĞİ, TÜRKİYE

Journal Name:

  • The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies

Publication Year:

  • 2013
DOI: 
http://dx.doi.org/10.9761/JASSS_794

Key Words:

Keywords (Original Language):

Author NameUniversity of AuthorFaculty of Author
Abstract (2. Language): 
The aim of this article is to determine the basic characteristics, motivations, and activities of ecotourists who visit the Lake Van Basin Area. The research sample is selected randomly and consists of visitors aged 18 or older. A two-page questionnaire is conducted through face-to-face interviews. A total of 306 domestic and international ecotourists participated in the survey during the period April–December 2011 and April-December 2012. The choice to collect dataduring this period is deliberate, as it allow researchers to maximize the chances of interviewing a large number of tourists. The findings of the research reveal that exploring nature, visiting historical sites, experiencing new things, and learning about local culture are the main motivational factors for ecotourists. While international tourists place relatively higher importance on visiting historical sites and seeing religious places, domestic tourists assign more significance to visiting friends/relatives and shopping. Furthermore, nature walks, rural tourism activities, swimming in the lake, and photo safari tours are ranked as the most popular activities by visitors. Based on the one-way ANOVA results, there is a significant difference in terms of tourism activities participated in (which include climbing, nature walks, rafting, photo safaris, and bicycle tours) by casual ecotourists, mainstream ecotourists, and dedicated ecotourists. Even though the tourists surveyed state that they are dissatisfied with the area’s entertainment centers, recreational facilities, local infrastructure, and tourism information; they express their happiness with the food and drinks on offer, as well as the hospitality of local people, and accommodation facilities. Generally, the mean degree of ecotourists’ satisfaction in the research area is very high. Hence, majority of them state that they will recommend the area to their friends, and would like to come the region again.
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Abstract (Original Language): 
Bu makale Van Gölü Havzasını ziyaret eden yabancıların temel özelliklerini, motivasyonlarını ve aktivitelerini araştırmayı amaçlamıştır. Araştırma örneklemi 18 yaş ve üzeri ziyaretçiler arasından rastgele seçilmiştir. İki sayfalık anket katılımcılarla yüz yüze yapılan görüşmelerle uygulanmıştır. Toplamda 306 yerli ve yabancı ekoturist araştırmaya Nisan-Aralık 2011 ve Nisan-Aralık 2012 arasında katılmışlardır. Daha fazla turistin anketin uygulanmasına katılımının saglanması için, bu zaman özellikle dilimi seçilmiştir. Araştırmada doğayı keşfetmek, tarihi alanlarını ziyaret, yeni şeyler keşfetmek ve yerel kültürler hakkında öğrenim ekoturistler için ana motivasyon kaynakları olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Uluslararası turistler tarihi ve dinsel alanları ziyarete göreli olarak fazla önem atfederlerken, yerli turistler arkadaş ve akraba ziyareti ile alış verişe daha fazla önem vermektedirler. Turistler doğada yürüyüş, kırsal turizm aktiviteleri, gölde yüzmek ve fotoğraf safari turunu en popüler turizm aktiveleri olarak belirtmişlerdir. Tek yönlü ANOVA testi sonuçlarına göre, katılınan turizm aktiviteleri olarak tırmanış, doğada yürüyüş, rafting, fotoğraf safari turu ve bisiklet turu sıradan, temel, ve adanmış ekoturistler arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmaktadır.Araştırmaya katılan turistler eğlence yerleri, rekreasyon olanakları, yerel alt yapı ve turizm bilgilendirmesi konularında sorunla karşılaştıklarını: ancak, yiyecek ve içecekler, insanların misafirliği ve konaklama imkânlarından memnun olduklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Genel olarak ekoturistlerin memnuniyet düzeyleri yüksektir. Dolayısıyla katılımcıların büyük bir çoğunluğu arkadaşlarına ve tanıdıklarına bölgeyi ziyaret etmeyi tavsiye edeceklerini ve kendilerinin tekrar ziyaret gerçekleştireceklerini belirtmişlerdir.
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91-107
  • Turkish

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