The evaluations of the ecotourism potential of the Cappadocia Region by domestic tourists

With the effect of globalization around the world, there have been supply and demand changes in tourism sector as well as the other sectors. As a result of these changes, there have been appeared new types of tourism. With increasing importance especially after 2000, Ecotourism is also a new type of tourism. There is a comprehensive literature owing to increasing importance of ecotourism day by day and it leads to more studies done in this field. This subject, which takes an essential place in world tourism market has been brought to Turkey's agenda since 2000. Examining the studies in our country, many research consantrate on determination of ecotourism potantial for local tourism destinations. Cappadocia is the most significant tourism destination in our country and there is no study aims to evaluate the ecotourism potential of Cappadocia aspect of local tourists. There is no study which covered appropriate ecotourism activities in the region and aims to investigate these activities in terms of local tourist evaluation. In this study, ecotourism potential of the region has been examined from the perspective of local tourists. This thesis consists of theorical and application parts. Explanation about destination marketing is given in the first chapter and next chapter includes information about ecotourism the assesment of regional ecotourism potential from the perspective of local tourists has been studied wtih the questionnaire in the analysis part. Acoording to results of the thesis there is no significant deference between demographic characteristics of local tourists on ecotourism potential of region. However, I find significant differences between vacation habit (in used fund and spended time) of local tourists on ecotourism potential of region. Respondents thinks that the region is convenient place for ecotourism and the region needs to be improved from this perspective. Also there is evidence that respondents are not informed adequately about diversity of some ecotourism activities could be done in the region. Keywords: Destination Marketing, Ecotourism, Cappadocia Region