An example of a protected area which has been opened to tourism: Tunca Valley Natural Park (NE Turkey)

Abstract

Protected areas have great tourism potential thanks to their natural and cultural richness. For this reason, areas worldwide that are protected at various levels draw interest, and some have been opened to tourism. In this study, I examine the natural and social tourism potentials of Tunca Valley Natural Park in Turkey (established in 2013) and the types of tourist activities that could be developed there. The park attracts interest both for its natural features (rivers, glacial lakes, flora and fauna) as well as for its traditional settlements and culture. Various tourist activities, including physical activities, camping, wildlife observation and cultural tourism, could be developed within an integrated management plan in line with the principles of sustainable tourism.

Evaluation of nature parks according to Multi Criteria Decision Making Methods in nature-based tourism processes: Giresun-Turkey

“…Therefore, the development of land uses and plans based on ecological information in such areas is one of the most important issues in terms of sustainability (Jurgens, 1993). In this context, many scientific studies have been carried out on protected areas in various parts of the world, and various opinions have been put forward on what should be considered in line with sustainable tourism principles in the process of opening these areas to tourism (Birinci, 2018;McCool, 2009;Newsome et al, 2013;Strickland-Munro et al, 2010).…”

Tourism Development in Inner Mountain Areas—The Local Stakeholders’ Point of View through a Mixed Method Approach

“…Dixon and Sherman [47] enriched the relationship with the economic repercussions of tourism for the protected areas, which have great tourism potential because of their natural and cultural heritage. For these reasons, these areas have been opened to tourism worldwide [48]. Two interesting contributions by Nepal [49,50] include one on the Himalaya Mountains, one of the most visited mountain areas in the world, which highlighted that tourism, especially ecological tourism, can generate development in mountain areas, but it must be carefully governed [51][52][53][54].…”