Tour guides' interpretive approaches for children in cultural heritage transmission: A case study of Pamukkale-Hierapolis

Cultural heritage is a dynamic whole consisting of tangible and intangible elements, representing the identity, values, and historical continuity of societies. This heritage establishes a bridge between the past and the present, providing societies with a sense of belonging and ensuring the sustainability of collective memory. The preservation of cultural heritage is not limited to the restoration of physical structures; it is also possible by keeping alive the meaning, story, symbolic values, and place in social memory that the heritage carries. This preservation process cannot be lasting unless supported by social awareness and education. At this point, tourist guides undertake an important duty in the correct transmission of cultural heritage, the creation of awareness, and the support of the learning process. Their narratives contribute to the internalization of cultural heritage not only at the informational level but also at the emotional and experiential levels. This study aims to examine the narrative languages of professional tourist guides towards child groups, the spatial/cognitive difficulties they encounter, and the solution strategies they develop, within the example of the Pamukkale-Hierapolis Archaeological Site, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the study, where the qualitative research method was adopted, the semi-structured interview technique was used as the data collection tool; the obtained data were examined using the thematic analysis method. The findings showed that guides frequently use techniques such as simplified language, storytelling, gamification, drama, visual support, interactive activities, and question-answer in narratives directed at children. As a result of the analysis, four main themes were created: Factors Affecting Narrative Directed at Children, Narrative Strategies Directed at Children, Contents Presented to Children, and Cultural Heritage Awareness in Children. Furthermore, it was determined that the guides' levels of pedagogical awareness were directly associated with the education they received, their professional experience, and their personal interests. Consequently, it was determined that guides select, filter, and reconstruct the abstract and complex heritage in accordance with the cognitive level of children. In this direction, the role of the tourist guide in child tours has been moved beyond classical definitions; it has been defined as a "Pedagogical Curator" who transforms knowledge by passing it through a pedagogical filter, and this concept has been proposed to the literature.