Contribution to Kastamonu of faith tourism in Kastamonu: An aplication at Sheikh Shaban-i Veli Kulliyesi

Advances in information and communication technologies are steadily shortening travel times, and this leads to an increase in people's desire to see new places. Besides the classical tourism concept consisting of sea, sand and sun, new tourism varieties come to the agenda, faith tourism is becoming increasingly important among these tourism types. With this thesis which is the subject of Kastamonu province in direction of faith tourism, it is aimed to determine uncovering the personal profile of tourists visiting religious sites with high potential for religious tourism in Kastamonu and the opinions of tourists coming to Kastamonu on the way of contributing to the province in terms of tourism. What different effects might be on other tourism types of faith tourism and what is to be done with faith tourism in Kastamonu is to be discussed from different dimensions. It is determined getting information about the personal profiles of those who came to the Sheikh Shaban-i Velî Mosque and Külliyesi in Kastamonu city center and examination of the views of faith tourism on the contribution to the Kastamonu. In this direction, firstly literature search was done about thesis topic, then a survey study as a field survey. This survey study was analyzed in SPSS statistics program and the results were interpreted by using "dependency coefficient" method. As a result, there is a significant close link between advances of the faith tourism activities in Kastamonu and investments on the periphery, this situation can be reflected positively to other economic units as agriculture, industry and services sector. In addition, it can also be said that the resources obtained from religious tourism and the improvement of the welfare and income distribution of the local people. Key Words: Tourism, economy, faith tourism, faith tourism in Kastamonu