The effect of tourist population on water resources distribution: Alanya example

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of the tourist population on the distribution of water resources in Alanya. In the study, Pearson Correlation Analysis was used to measure the direction and strength of the linear relationship between the data obtained from various institutions between the years 2013-2023. The findings obtained showed that there were significant increases in both the district population and especially the number of foreign tourists in Alanya; the number of foreign tourists peaked in 2023, reaching 14.75 million. Drinking and utility water consumption increased approximately 2.5 times between 2014-2023 and reached 25.81 million m³ in 2023, which was directly associated with the increasing number of tourists. Similarly, total electricity consumption increased approximately two-fold in the same period, reaching 1.54 million MWh in 2023, and paralleled the intensity of tourist activities. The correlation analysis revealed that there were strong positive relationships between the Alanya district population, the number of foreign tourists and the total population with drinking-utility water and electricity consumption. However, no significant relationship was found between the number of domestic tourists and irrigation union water consumption and other variables. As a result, the study emphasizes that population movements and tourism activities in Alanya directly affect the use of water and energy resources. Diversification of water resources, development of climate change adaptation strategies, awareness-raising and training activities on water use, strengthening of public-private partnerships and sustainability of water resources should be ensured. In particular, concrete steps such as the establishment of gray water recycling systems in tourism facilities, monitoring with digital water meters, rainwater harvesting applications, water efficiency certifications and tourist awareness studies can contribute to the efficient use of water resources.