Determining tourists' perceptions of sustainable tourism and their willingness to pay for sustainability: A study on Side tourism region

Antalya, being one of Turkey's prominent tourist destinations, holds a significant position in the global tourism market, particularly in coastal tourism. The Side Tourism Region, which is the focus of this research, is a Mediterranean coastal area renowned for its blend of historical and natural beauty. In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the region, it is of great importance to re-adapt the sea, sand and sun tourism model within the framework of sustainable development. Since getting the support of tourists ensures the success of sustainability initiatives in destinations, it is necessary to understand how tourists see sustainability and its related features. In addition, understanding the economic preferences of tourists regarding sustainable tourism will provide important data to tourism marketers. Considering the scarcity of both theoretical and practical studies on the subject, the research to be conducted is designed to contribute to this point. In this context, the study aimed to understand tourists' perceptions of the importance of sustainability features in tourism destinations and to determine tourists' willingness to pay for these aspects. To achieve this objective, a questionnaire was applied to 411 domestic and 406 foreign tourists staying in five-star hotels in Side Region. The collected data, were analyzed using multiple linear regression, Pearson correlation, t and Anova tests. The findings indicate that tourists assign the greatest importance to cultural and environmental preservation and exhibit a greater willingness to spend more on socio-cultural aspects. Moreover, variations were observed in the perception of sustainable tourism and willingness to pay for sustainable tourism among different tourist groups. In addition, it has been understood that the sustainable tourism perception of foreign tourists has more impact on their willingness to pay for sustainable tourism. It has been determined that both cultural and demographic characteristics should be taken into account while implementing sustainable activities. The results of the research will provide insights to destination managers about the sustainability attributes that tourists care most about and their willingness to pay more for these attributes.