Cross-border toursim experience: The case of Meric delta

The Meric Delta and Meric River constitute the country border between Turkey and Greece. In the historical process, The Gulf of Meric formed the delta as a result of the accumulation of alluvium. Political boundary which is separating the two countries prevents the Meric Delta from being experienced. The Meric River and Delta, which form Turkey's border with Greece as well as many examples in the world, should be experienced by researchers and tourists. The presence of political borders on the edge of natural and cultural heritage sites attract tourists by increasing the attraction of the area. It is observed that the border crossings between the two countries increased after 2000's due to economic and political relations. The purpose of the research is to constitute a fiction that transforms the experiencing actionof Meric Delta into a touristic product in parallel with alternative tourism. In the study, the data that affect the process of transformation of the Meric Delta's experiancing action into a sustainable touristic product have been determined. These are historic process, natural structure, architectural heritage, economic and social structure (agriculture, livestock, fishery, mining and tourism), transportation and tourism infrastructure (accommodation, communication). Spatial data are transformed into a touristic experiment by being associated with the space. The researcher's field studies and observations were also included in the study. The development of tourist product, based on Manisa and Yeşilyurt's touristic product development process method is accomplished by the definition of the theme, the indentifying of the destinations that are compatible with the theme, and the determination of the tourism activities appropriate to the theme and destination. When looking at how the Meric Delta is experienced in the historical process, in the whole of the road system in Trakya, ViaEgnatia which started from Rome and crossed Meric and reached Istanbul is considered to be the beginning with and its stops in research areas which are Feres, Traianoupolis and Enez. In the second part, examples of border tourism in the world and alternative tourism types are examined. Examples for the border tourism and delta experience to be developed in Meric Delta are presented by analyzing the heading of the examples of border tourism as the continent, country border, World Nature Conservation Union (IUCN) conservation areas, border type, IUCN complex conservation areas, statues, tourism activities, transportation and tourist centers. When the examples of border tourism are examined, it is observed that tourism activities are composed of alternative tourism types. In this context, alternative tourism has been explored for the diversification of tourist products to be developed at the border. In the third chapter, the history of Thrace and the formation of Meric Delta are examined. The experience of Meric Delta seems to have been made through ViaEgnatia, one of the most important road systems in Thrace. Via Egnatia's stops; Feres, Traianoupolis and Enez form the backbone to experience the Meric Delta. Delta is a tourist attraction and scientific center. In the fourth chapter, touristic product is developed with the definition of the theme, the identifying of the destinations that are compatible with the theme, and the determination of tourism activities appropriate to the theme and destination. Touristic product theme is determined as Meric Delta Experience Tourism. Alternative types of tourism are revealing based on the spatial data of settlements in Feres, Traianoupolis and Enez which are sub-regions located in the Meric Delta basin. Tourism is targeted to spread to the whole year, while the present tourism potential has been enriching with alternative forms of tourism. The data that affect the process of conversion to Meric Delta's sustainable touristic product are examined on the headings which are natural history, architectural heritage, economic and social structure (agriculture, animal husbandry, fishery, mining and tourism), tourism infrastructure (accommodation, communication and transportation). Meric Delta Experience Tourism is a tourism product that will be formed with the addition of alternative tourism activities to existing tourism activities in Meric border delta. The hierarchy is considered while choosing destinations that are compatible with the theme, when the theme of Meric Delta Experience Tourism is determined. The Mediterranean water basin, Meriç Delta-Basin and Meriç Bay Port settlements are selected as the sub-regions of research sites with ViaEgnatia's stops that are Feres, Traianoupolis and Enez settlements. The agro-tourism with agricultural products and timetables, gourmet tourism and hunting tourism with fish products and timetables, bird watching tourism with bird species and timetables, alternative tourism types with tourism types and timetables are determined for the editing that would be developed in Delta. Meriç Delta Experience tourism theme has been chosen as alternative tourism destinations that would be carried out in Feres, Traianoupolis and Enez. While the editing of The Meric Delta Experience tourism has been constituted, alternative tourism activities in the delta have been extended over the year. Keywords: BorderTourism, Thrace, ViaEgnatia, Meric Delta, Touristic product