Evaluation of the Visitor Understanding of Coastal Geotourism and Geoheritage Potential Based on Sustainable Regional Development in Western Black Sea Region, Turkey

Canan Cengiz, Şükran Şahin, Bülent Cengiz, Mükerrem Bahar Başkır and Pelin Keçecioğlu Dağlı
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Canan Cengiz: Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Design, Bartın University, 74100 Bartın, Turkey
Şükran Şahin: Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, 06110 Ankara, Turkey
Bülent Cengiz: Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Design, Bartın University, 74100 Bartın, Turkey
Mükerrem Bahar Başkır: Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science, Bartın University, 74100 Bartın, Turkey
Pelin Keçecioğlu Dağlı: Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Design, Bartın University, 74100 Bartın, Turkey

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-31

Abstract: The Black Sea coasts of Turkey have important examples of geological heritage with coastal cliffs in terms of geological formations and features. The Güzelcehisar Basalt Columns (GBCs) formation and its coast have been chosen as a research area in this article in terms of its basalt columns, rare coastal geological diversity and coastal geotourism potential. This paper presents the results of a visitor survey undertaken at the GBCs formation and its coast, located in the rural coastal part of Bartın province in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. This survey was conducted in 2020 to assess the tourism shoulder season visitors to the Güzelcehisar village. With the survey, its aim was to determine the awareness of the visitors on geoconservation and geodiversity and to evaluate the understanding of geological heritage and geotourism. In addition, it was desired to set visitor expectations to improve the geotourism experience. It was found that visitors had a high level of understanding and awareness of the terms “geodiversity”, “geoheritage”, “geotourism” and “geoconservation”. However, this survey also shows that there is less emphasis on the need to protect the geodiversity in Güzelcehisar. Guided walking is preferred in order to improve visitor understanding and improve experiences. These survey findings contain guiding explanations for studies that could provide a wider interpretation of the perceptions, experiences and expectations of visitors regarding the sustainable development of areas with similar coastal geotourism potential in Turkey.

Keywords: coastal geotourism; heritage coast; geodiversity; geoheritage; geosite; Güzelcehisar; Bartın; statistical analysis; survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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