A research intended for evaluating cultural tourism potential's in city of Gaziantep by travel agencies

Recently, tourists not only take on traditional tourism packages including sea, beach and sunshine facilities, but also prefer to take part in alternative tourism activities. Cultural tourism is one of the most desired kinds of these alternative tourism activities. Therefore, the number of studies regarding this subject has increased in recent times. With their features and functions, travel agencies can play a significant role in cultural tourism activities. Turkey is a rich country regarding its cultural tourism potential. Particularly, Gaziantep province has many natural beauties and historical sites that have cultural value. In this study, some cultural tours to Gaziantep are evaluated by travel agency staff. In this study, 190 staff, which work at 78 A-level travel agencies in Gaziantep, are given a survey about cultural tourism activities in April and May 2015. The results are evaluated according to frequency and percentage analysis. In conclusion, it is determined that cultural tours to Gaziantep are not sufficient. However, it is also observed that the travel agencies intend to organize more cultural tours to Gaziantep in near future. Key Words: Alternative Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Travel Agencies