Conservation of urban cultural heritage and its relationship with tourism: The case of Odunpazarı, Eskişehir

Cultural heritage is the whole of each different culture's own values. However, the protection of cultural heritage values is the common responsibility of humanity. At the present time, ensuring the sustainability of cultural heritage assets is possible by maintaining the balance of conversation and use. Therefore, cultural heritage and tourism are two important factors that each other. In order to protect the cultural heritage, it is necessary to have tourism and in order to have tourism, it is necessary to protect the cultural heritage resources. Odunpazarı is very important in terms of being the first settlement of Eskişehir. Odunpazarı settlement area lost its importance over time and became a depression area. However, the Odunpazarı, which has been declared as a site with its traditional houses, Kurşunlu Complex, mosques, tombs, caravanserais, fountains, inns and traditional street texture, has been protected. Many historical buildings in the area have been restored and brought back to the city. In 2012, Odunpazarı was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Provisional List. In this research, the protection of urban cultural heritage and its relationship with tourism was examined in the example of Eskişehir Odunpazarı. The main purpose of the study is to determine the perceptions and attitudes of local people, business owners and tourists visiting the area regarding the protection and relationship of urban cultural heritage within the Odunpazarı site. In the first phase of the research, literature was reviewed on issues such as cultural heritage, cultural heritage protection and cultural tourism, which form the basis of the study. Then, the area was examined with the land studies carried out in the area and the necessary data were obtained from various institutions. Tangible and intangible cultural heritage values in the area were determined in the land study. In order to preserve cultural heritage values, the conservation work carried out so far in the area has been examined. The mixed research technique was used in the study. Within the scope of the quantitative survey, 155 local people were surveyed and the data obtained were analyzed by the IBM SPSS Statistics 21 program. Within the scope of qualitative research, semi structured interviews were carried out with 21 enterprises and 14 visitors in the fall of 2020. According to the results of the study; it has been determined that the perceptions and attitudes of local people, business owners and tourists are positive in terms of the protection of cultural heritage and its relationship with tourism. The Odunpazarı welcomes thousands of tourists every year. These tourism activities have both positive and negative effects on the area. The most important effects of tourism in the area is its contribution to ensuring the protection and sustainability of cultural heritage. The local people living in the area and the business owners in the area have the biggest share in ensuring the protection. With the economic contribution brought by tourism, local people and business have become more aware of the protection of cultural heritage assets. Traffic, cost of living, environment and noise pollution are the main negative effects of tourism in the area.