The Alevi belief in the context of cultural heritage and the formation of an Alevi faith tourism route

The Alevi faith holds a significant place in Anatolia's cultural richness, encompassing numerous tangible and intangible sacred elements. These elements have the potential to be evaluated within the scope of faith tourism. They are of great importance for the preservation, promotion, and transmission of cultural heritage to future generations. This study, which aims to evaluate the sacred elements of the Alevi faith in the context of cultural heritage, to develop faith tourism routes, and to investigate the perspectives of the Alevi community on this matter, prioritizes not only the safeguarding and transmission of cultural heritage but also the creation of social and economic contributions. In this respect, it represents an original and pioneering work in the field. The research is designed in two phases. In the first phase, an inventory of sacred elements was compiled through a literature review and interviews with prominent opinion leaders of the Alevi community. These elements were then mapped across six routes, with consideration of their geographical proximity. In the second phase, data collected through a semi-structured interview form were analyzed using thematic analysis. Based on the themes developed, the Alevi community's views on evaluating their cultural heritage in the context of faith tourism were examined. The participants' responses revealed that the Alevi community demonstrates a high level of awareness regarding tourism and faith tourism, displays a positive attitude toward route development, and emphasizes the importance of preserving cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations. In the final section, recommendations are presented for stakeholders.