Tourism potential of ethnic cultural heritage: The example of Assyrian villages

In recent years, cultural tourism has gained significant momentum not only on a global scale but also specifically within Türkiye, playing a decisive role in the reconfiguration of tourism policies. The shift from consumption-oriented holiday practices toward a desire to experience historical, artistic, and cultural heritage elements has driven the development of cultural tourism. In Türkiye, cultural tourism has notably progressed, particularly in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. Within the scope of the study, 9 out of 11 Syriac villages in the districts of Midyat and Nusaybin in Mardin and the district of Idil in Sirnak were visited, and interviews were conducted with 10 Syriac participants either face-to-face or by telephone. Thematic analysis was applied to the data obtained, and four main themes were identified. These are: demographic information of the villages, traditions, local cultural values, and tourism potential of villages. The research findings revealed that the Assyrians speak their own language and teach it to their children, that they preserve their traditions of weddings, holidays, funerals, and eating and drinking, that existing religious structures are in a visitable condition, that the local population has a positive attitude towards tourism, but that local clothing and handicrafts are facing extinction. The research results show that the ethnic cultural heritage in Syriac villages can be evaluated as a tourist product and a different cultural route can be created in the region. It is thought that the research will contribute to the travel agencies, tourist guides and those implementing tourism policies in the region both in terms of addressing Syriac villages in terms of tourism and in terms of proposing an alternative to tours conducted in the Southeast Anatolia region. Participants were asked questions about their language, beliefs, customs, food and drink, cultural values, and their perspectives on tourism and visitors.