A view of public institutions and non governmental organizations on tourism potential of Şanlıurfa

Şanlıurfa is a city with deep-rooted history and rich cultural elements. The fact that the centers, which are especially important in terms of monotheistic religions, are located in Şanlıurfa, makes Şanlıurfa a touristic attraction center in terms of faith and cultural tourism. In this study, which was carried out to determine the perspectives of public institutions and non-governmental organizations operating in the field of tourism in Şanlıurfa to the tourism potential of Şanlıurfa, it was aimed to determine the contributions of related institutions and organizations to the development of Şanlıurfa tourism. In this context, the opinions of 20 participants were taken with the semi-structured interview technique. Using the SWOT analysis technique, the current situation of the province of Şanlıurfa in tourism, the advantages and weaknesses of the province in tourism; opportunities and threats identified. The suggestions of the participants for the development of tourism in the city were given as a result of the research. As a result of the research The fact that Göbeklitepe, which is considered the oldest temple in the world, is located in Şanlıurfa and that many prophets have lived in Şanlıurfa throughout history, Şanlıurfa is known as the city of the Prophets, which has made Şanlıurfa a very strong place in the field of faith and cultural tourism. In addition, many features such as the continuation of the hospitality and hospitality of the local people, which is the tradition of the prophet, have been determined as the strengths and opportunities of Şanlıurfa province. The geopolitical location of the city and the fact that it is bordered by the region where the war and terrorist incidents are taking place prevent the development of tourism in the region. In addition to this, negativities such as not meeting the needs in terms of infrastructure and superstructure, insufficient qualified bed capacity and lack of qualified personnel and poor tourism awareness have been identified as the weaknesses of the city and the existing threats for tourism development.