Ekoturizm Faaliyetlerinin Turizm Destinasyonlarına Katkısı: Önlisans Öğrencilerinin Değerlendirmesi

Abstract

The changes in the desire and expectations of individuals to participate in tourism activities have led businesses operating in the tourism industry to different tourism perception. In this direction, tourism activities have been diversified and alternative tourism types have been created. Ecotourism is an alternative type of tourism, a perception of tourism in which nature and the environment come to the fore and the concepts of sustainability and sensitivity come to the fore. In the study, the thoughts of students who are currently studying tourism and cookery, and who will become potential tourism workers, operators or managers of tomorrow, about the contributions and negative effects of ecotourism activities on tourism destinations were examined. Qualitative research method was used in the study conducted with 12 participants who are students of Artvin Çoruh University Artvin Vocational School Culinary Program. In the study, in which the semi-structured interview technique was applied, descriptive analysis was applied to the data. As a result of the study, it was determined that the participants gained their knowledge about the perception of ecotourism after taking the General Tourism course, and expressed ecotourism with thoughts such as "not harming the environment", "contributing to the local community", "recreation, sightseeing and activities". Contribution of ecotourism activities to the destination by the participants; contributing to all stakeholders and especially the local people, protecting the environment, increasing tourism diversity, contributing to sustainability, contributing to promotion and attractiveness, and increasing the awareness of tourism values. Possible negative effects of ecotourism activities on the destination by the participants are; it is the uncontrolled growth and development of the destination, causing the destination's carrying capacity to be exceeded, and the risk of destruction and contamination.