Measuring the renewable energy knowledge level of foreign tourists and examining the effects on their preferences of renewable energy types that can be applied in hotels: Manavgat example

Development of the world in all sectors, including the tourism sector, provides increase in economic returns, but causes an increase in energy consumption as well as contributing to the development level of countries. The increase in energy needs causes more use of fossil resources, which still have the largest share in electricity production of the world, resulting pressure on the natural environment. Transition to renewable energy sources, which are solar, wind, hydro, biomass, wave and tidal types, will not only reduce the pressure on the environment, but will also be one of the most important solutions against the climate crisis that the world is facing nowadays. As in all other sectors, renewable energy applications are applied in the tourism sector as well. The number and variety of these applications will increase in the coming period within the scope of combating against the climate crisis. It is believed that the perspectives of tourists, who are important actors of the tourism sector, should also be evaluated in these studies and applications. Accordingly, this study aims to determine the renewable energy knowledge level of foreign tourists vacationing in various hotels in Manavgat district, their preferences about renewable energy applications that can be applied in hotels, and also to examine the relationships between demographic characteristics and these concepts. Data are collected by survey study, one of the quantitative research methods, then incomplete and erroneous data checks are made. Finally data analyzes were made with 417 valid questionnaires. The construct validity of the scales was checked with exploratory factor analysis. Demographic characteristics consisting of gender, age range, educational status, marital status, occupation and monthly income level, and knowledge and preference scales were analyzed by data analysis methods such as t-Test, ANOVA test, Pearson correlation analysis. The relationship between the renewable energy knowledge levels of the participants and their preferences was checked with Pearson correlation analysis. According to the analysis findings, it is observed that the renewable energy knowledge level and preferences of the participants are differing according to demographic characteristics. In addition, it has been determined that there is a positive relationship between the level of renewable energy knowledge and their renewable energy preferences. It is predicted that the number and types of studies conducted in the literature in the field of renewable energy and tourism will increase in the upcoming period. For this reason, the data obtained in this study will provide important clues for the studies to be done in this field. In addition, this study will be useful in terms of seeing the perspective of tourists for renewable energy applications to be made in the tourism sector.