Heritage tourism potential and planning approaches of Elmalı district

The aim of the research is to determine the heritage tourism potential in Elmalı district and the planning approaches towards this potential. In this context, the heritage tourism potential and development in Elmalı district, the studies carried out to gain an international dimension, accommodation, transportation and organization services and the problems experienced in heritage tourism were examined and planning approaches suitable for tourism were developed in order to protect and develop heritage tourism attractions in Elmalı and to carry out the necessary promotional activities. The data of the research were obtained from the survey conducted by including stakeholders who affect and are affected by heritage tourism in Elmalı district and from field studies conducted on cultural heritage values in different periods, especially in the summer period, from November 2021 to September 2024. A selection based on criterion sampling, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was made in the survey. The sample criterion of the study consisted of 727 volunteer participants who agreed to participate in the research from near and far stakeholders in Elmalı district. The data collection and data analysis processes of the qualitative research method were followed, but quantitative data were also used during the study. SPSS was used in the analysis of the data, and the ArcMap interface of ArcGIS (10.3) software was used in the production of maps used in the research. After the analysis, the heritage tourism potential in Elmalı district and the opportunities and difficulties affecting the development of heritage tourism were examined and, in this direction, approaches to heritage tourism planning were determined in terms of developing heritage tourism in Elmalı district. The presence of festivals, festivals and sports activities that allow wide-scale social mobility in Elmalı district, the presence of original architectural works such as wooden granaries, houses with sofas, mansions, the presence of settlements used in historical periods in many settlements and the fact that it hosted famous people who lived in history - the presence of tombs and tombs here, the presence of bee Decoys, year horses, springs that contain traces of life related to yörük culture, as well as the cool summer season compared to the coastal area, the main features that make the potential of the site strong for the development of heritage tourism, but the promotion and marketing of the site, the presence of a festival with different contents, sports activities that allow a wide range of social mobility, the presence of wooden granaries, sofas houses settlements that were used in historical periods and hosted famous people who lived in history - the presence of tombs and mausoleums, the presence of bee serenades, year horses, springs that contain traces of life related to yörük culture, as well as the main features such as the cool summer season compared to the coastal area, make the potential of the site strong for the development of heritage tourism, but it has been determined that this potential cannot be brought to tourism due to difficulties such as inadequacies, infrastructure and superstructure inadequacies, inability to adequately protect cultural heritage values that are in danger of extinction, public-administrative problems, insufficient tourism investments. Based on the findings, actions have been created for heritage tourism planning to include the local people and other tourism stakeholders in the process in Elmalı district through heritage tourism and to support the sustainability of the cultural heritage in the district through tourism and economic development. Suggestions for increasing the heritage tourism potential and heritage tourism routes that address cultural and natural heritage elements in a holistic manner are presented as proposals. It is thought that by conducting an in-depth analysis and evaluation of the heritage tourism potential of the research area and by developing heritage tourism planning approaches based on field observations, it will be possible to influence the development of heritage tourism in Elmalı district and for it to become a heritage tourism destination. Keywords: Tourism Geography, Heritage Tourism, Tourism Planning, Cultural Heritage, Elmalı.