Evaluation of intangible cultural heritage within the scope of creative tourism, the tradition of making thin bread and sharing, example of Erzurum

The tourism sector is affected by social, political, technological and economic developments. It also flourishes together with all these sectors. There has also been a diversification in terms of types of tourism as well as preferences for tourism. The first phase of the tourism sector, which is among the important industries in the world, is the classical tourism that includes the concept of sea, sand and sun. The second phase is related to the cultural tourism concerning museums and cultural tours. The third phase is called the creative tourism, which is considered to be a continuation of cultural tourism, providing tourists with the opportunity of interacting with the local culture while having unique experiences as well as fun. In this study, qualitative research model is applied. Snowball Sampling, which is among nonprobability sampling methods, is also employed. In this study, the tradition of making and sharing thin bread, an element of our intangible cultural heritage, is evaluated based on the related practices in Erzurum within the scope of creative tourism. In accordance with this purpose, a field research is conducted. Semi-structured interview technique, which is extensively used in qualitative research, is used in this study as a data collection tool. Data collection process is conducted in November applying face-to-face interview technique with employees from various businesses who expressed their opinions about the tradition of making and sharing thin bread in Erzurum as an element of our intangible cultural heritage and within the scope of creative tourism. In conclusion, both the employers and employees approved the idea of evaluating the tradition of making and sharing thin bread, an element of our intangible cultural heritage, within the scope of the creative tourism.