EKOTURİZMİN ETKİLERİ VE DESTİNASYON AİDİYETİ ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİNİN ANALİZİ: GİRESUN İLİ ÖRNEĞİ

Abstract

The aim of the study is to measure the perceptions of the local people who live in the Province of Giresun related to the effects of ecotourism (economic, socio-cultural and environmental) and destination belonging. In addition, the relationship between the perceptions of the local people regarding the effects of ecotourism and destination belonging has also been examined. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed in order to obtain the research data, a total of 396 questionnaires were taken into consideration and data was analysed through SPSS 22.0 statistical package program. As a result of the conducted analyses, it was concluded that the perceptions of the local people in terms of the effects of ecotourism and destination belonging were above the medium level. Besides, it was seen that men perceive the economic effects more compared to the women, married had more destination belonging than single people, those living in the city centre perceived the economic effects more than those living in the districts, individuals aged between 15 and 24 years have less destination belonging compared to the individuals aged 60 and older and individuals aged between 25 and 59 when the relational analysis of the demographic characteristics of the local people and their perceptions related to effects of ecotourism and destination belonging was evaluated. As a result of the correlation analysis which was conducted in order to determine the relationship between the scales, it was concluded that there was a weak and positive relationship between economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts of ecotourism and destination belonging.