You are here

Home » Content

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS, MOTIVATIONS, AND ACTIVITIES OF ECOTOURISTS: A CASE OF LAKE VAN BASIN AREA, TURKEY

EKOTURİSTLERİN TEMEL ÖZELLİKLERİ, MOTİVASYONLARI VE AKTİVİTELERİ: VAN GÖLÜ HAVZASI ALANI ÖRNEĞİ, TÜRKİYE

Journal Name:

  • The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies

Publication Year:

  • 2013
DOI: 
http://dx.doi.org/10.9761/JASSS_794

Key Words:

Keywords (Original Language):

Author NameUniversity of AuthorFaculty of Author
Abstract (2. Language): 
The aim of this article is to determine the basic characteristics, motivations, and activities of ecotourists who visit the Lake Van Basin Area. The research sample is selected randomly and consists of visitors aged 18 or older. A two-page questionnaire is conducted through face-to-face interviews. A total of 306 domestic and international ecotourists participated in the survey during the period April–December 2011 and April-December 2012. The choice to collect dataduring this period is deliberate, as it allow researchers to maximize the chances of interviewing a large number of tourists. The findings of the research reveal that exploring nature, visiting historical sites, experiencing new things, and learning about local culture are the main motivational factors for ecotourists. While international tourists place relatively higher importance on visiting historical sites and seeing religious places, domestic tourists assign more significance to visiting friends/relatives and shopping. Furthermore, nature walks, rural tourism activities, swimming in the lake, and photo safari tours are ranked as the most popular activities by visitors. Based on the one-way ANOVA results, there is a significant difference in terms of tourism activities participated in (which include climbing, nature walks, rafting, photo safaris, and bicycle tours) by casual ecotourists, mainstream ecotourists, and dedicated ecotourists. Even though the tourists surveyed state that they are dissatisfied with the area’s entertainment centers, recreational facilities, local infrastructure, and tourism information; they express their happiness with the food and drinks on offer, as well as the hospitality of local people, and accommodation facilities. Generally, the mean degree of ecotourists’ satisfaction in the research area is very high. Hence, majority of them state that they will recommend the area to their friends, and would like to come the region again.
Abstract (Original Language): 
Bu makale Van Gölü Havzasını ziyaret eden yabancıların temel özelliklerini, motivasyonlarını ve aktivitelerini araştırmayı amaçlamıştır. Araştırma örneklemi 18 yaş ve üzeri ziyaretçiler arasından rastgele seçilmiştir. İki sayfalık anket katılımcılarla yüz yüze yapılan görüşmelerle uygulanmıştır. Toplamda 306 yerli ve yabancı ekoturist araştırmaya Nisan-Aralık 2011 ve Nisan-Aralık 2012 arasında katılmışlardır. Daha fazla turistin anketin uygulanmasına katılımının saglanması için, bu zaman özellikle dilimi seçilmiştir. Araştırmada doğayı keşfetmek, tarihi alanlarını ziyaret, yeni şeyler keşfetmek ve yerel kültürler hakkında öğrenim ekoturistler için ana motivasyon kaynakları olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Uluslararası turistler tarihi ve dinsel alanları ziyarete göreli olarak fazla önem atfederlerken, yerli turistler arkadaş ve akraba ziyareti ile alış verişe daha fazla önem vermektedirler. Turistler doğada yürüyüş, kırsal turizm aktiviteleri, gölde yüzmek ve fotoğraf safari turunu en popüler turizm aktiveleri olarak belirtmişlerdir. Tek yönlü ANOVA testi sonuçlarına göre, katılınan turizm aktiviteleri olarak tırmanış, doğada yürüyüş, rafting, fotoğraf safari turu ve bisiklet turu sıradan, temel, ve adanmış ekoturistler arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmaktadır.Araştırmaya katılan turistler eğlence yerleri, rekreasyon olanakları, yerel alt yapı ve turizm bilgilendirmesi konularında sorunla karşılaştıklarını: ancak, yiyecek ve içecekler, insanların misafirliği ve konaklama imkânlarından memnun olduklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Genel olarak ekoturistlerin memnuniyet düzeyleri yüksektir. Dolayısıyla katılımcıların büyük bir çoğunluğu arkadaşlarına ve tanıdıklarına bölgeyi ziyaret etmeyi tavsiye edeceklerini ve kendilerinin tekrar ziyaret gerçekleştireceklerini belirtmişlerdir.
FULL TEXT (PDF): 
PDF icon arastrmx_79201_6_pp_91-107.pdf

REFERENCES

References: 

AYALA, H. (1995) From quality product to ecoproduct: will Fiji set a precedent?. Tourism Management, 16(1): 39-47.
BALLANTINE, J. L. and EAGLES, P. F. (1994) Defining Canadian ecotourists. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2(4): 210-214.
BANSAL, H. and EISELT, H. A. (2004) Exploratory research of tourist motivations and planning. Tourism Management, 25(3): 387-396.
106
Faruk ALAEDDINOGLU – Nuray TURKER – Ali Selcuk CAN – Sevgi OZTURK
BRICKER, K.S. and KERSTETTER, D.L. (2001) Ecotourist and Ecotourism, Benefit Segmentation and Experience Evaluation. Division of Forestry Recreation, Park and Tourism Resources Program, West Virginia Univ.: Margantown.
BRYMAN, A. and BELL, E. (2007) Business Researh Methods, Oxford: Oxford University Press
EAGLES, P.F. and CASCAGNETTE, J.W. (1995) Canadian ecotourists: who are they?. Tourism Recreation Research, 20(1): 22-28.
EAGLES, P. F. J. (1992) The travel motivations of Canadian ecotourists. Journal of Travel Research, 31 (Fall): 3-7.
WOOD, M.E. (2002) Ecotourism: Principles, Practices and Policies for Sustainability, International Ecotourism Society, United Nations Publication: Madrid.
FODNESS, D. (1994) Measuring tourist motivation. Annals of Tourism Research, 21(3):555-581.
HOLDEN. A. and SPARROWHAWK, J. (2002) Understanding the motivations of ecotourists: the case of trekkers in Annapurna, Nepal. International Journal of Tourism Research, 4(6): 435-446.
HONEY, M. (1999) Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, Who owns Paradise?. Island Press: Washington, D.C.
KOZAK, M. (2001) Repeaters’ behaviour at two distinct destinations, Annals of Tourism Research, 28(3): 784-807.
KUSLER, J.A. (1991) Ecotourism and resource conservation: introduction to issues. In J.A. Kusler (ed.) Ecotourism and Resource Conservation: A Collection of Papers (Vol. 1). Omnipress: Madison, WI.
LAARMAN, J. and DURST, P. (1987) Nature Travel and Tropical Forests. FREI Working Paper Series. Southeastern Center for Forest Economics Research, North Carolina State University: Raleigh, NC.
LINDBERG, K. (1991) Policies for Maximising Nature Tourism’s Ecological and Economic Benefits. World Resources Institute: Washington, DC.
MENG, F., TEPANON, Y., and UYSAL, M. (2006) Measuring tourist satisfaction by attribute and motivation: the case of a nature-based resort. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 14(1): 40-56.
PAGE, J.S. and DOWLING, R.K. (2002) Ecotourism: Themes in Tourism. Pearson Education: Essex.
PALACIO, V. and MCCOOL, S.F. (1997) Identifying ecotourists in Belize through benefit segmentation: a preliminary analysis, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 5(3):234-243.
Basic Characteristics, Motivations, and Activities of Ecotourists:
A Case of Lake Van Basin Area, Turkey 107
SUBBIAH, K. and KANNAN, S. (2012) The management strategies of ecotourism development in Papua New Guinea. International Journal of Economics Business and Management Studies, 1(3):114-120.
TORRES-SOVERO, C., GONZALES, J.A., MARTIN-LOPEZ. B., and KIRKBY, C.A. (2012) Social-ecological factors influencing tourist satisfaction in three ecotourism lodges in the soytheastern Peruvian Amazon. Tourism Management, 33(3):545-552.
Tourism Canada (1995) Adventure Travel in Canada: An Overview of Product, Market and Business Potential. Industry Canada: Ottawa.
WEARING, S. and NEIL, J. (1999) Ecotourism: Impacts, Potential and Possibilities. Butterworth Heinemann: Oxford and Melbourne.
WEAVER, D. and LAWTON, L. (2001) Attitudes and Behaviour of Ecolodge Patrons in Lamington National Park, Research Report. http://www.crctourism.com.au/wms/upload/images/disc%20of%20images%20and%...
WIGHT, P.A. (1996a) North American ecotourists: Market profile and trip characteristics. Journal of Travel Research, 34(4): 2–10.
WIGHT, P.A. (1996b) North American Ecotourism Markets: Motivations, Preferences and Destinations. Journal of Travel Research, 34(2):3-10.
WIGHT, P.A. (1997) Ecotourism accommodation spectrum: Does supply match the demand?. Tourism Management, 18(4): 209-220.
WIGHT, P.A. (2001) Ecotourists: not a homogeneous market segment, The Encyclopedia of Ecotourism, Weaver, D.B. (ed.), CAB International, Wallingford.
YOON, Y. and UYSAL, M. (2005) An examination of the effects of motivation and satisfaction on destination loyalty: a structural model, Tourism Management, 26(1):45-56.
ZHANG, H. and LEI, S.L. (2013) A structural model of resindents’ intention to participate in ecotourism: The case of a wetland community. Tourism Management, 33(4): 916-925.

Thank you for copying data from http://www.arastirmax.com