Local People's Perceptions of the Impacts of Tourism in Turkey: A Literature Review

Abstract

Tourism, while a sector that can contribute to the preservation of a destination's environmental, economic, and socio-cultural values, can also have destructive consequences for these values. Therefore, the effects of tourism are generally examined in terms of both positive and negative aspects. A significant portion of the studies on this subject focuses on the perspective of the local population, one of the key stakeholders directly affected by tourism activities. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of studies conducted in different tourism destinations in Turkey. Some studies combine the findings of these individual studies to make more comprehensive assessments. The main aim of this study is to examine the perceptions of the local population in Turkey regarding the effects of tourism, based on such studies. In this context, a content analysis was conducted on these studies, which were determined to be few in number (a total of 13) as a result of the literature review. The analysis results indicate that local people generally view the impacts of tourism positively. However, these perceptions can vary depending on many factors, such as the destination's development trajectory, the type of tourism, and the perceived cost-benefit balance. On the other hand, in order to make a more accurate assessment, the number of such comprehensive studies needs to be increased.