Özet:

While urbanization, which emerged as a result of rapidly developing industrialization in the current century, negatively affects human life, it is seen that recreational demands for natural areas also increase. While nature-based tourism activities taking place in protected areas and their immediate surroundings contribute significantly to local and regional development, they also develop awareness of the long-term conservation of natural and cultural resources. Ilgaz Mountain National Park is the subject of this study in terms of the relationship between protected areas and tourism. Due to its forest assets, flora, fauna, landscape beauties, topographic structure, and recreation resource diversity, a 1.117,69-hectare section of the Ilgaz Mountains was designated as a protected area as Ilgaz Mountain National Park in 1976. It is known that Ilgaz Mountain National Park (IMNP), also renowned as a winter tourism center, has been preferred also for nature tourism activities in recent years. It has been determined that the Long-Term Development Plan (LTDP) and the Sustainable Tourism and Visitor Management Plan (STVMP), which define all activities that can be carried out in IDNP, have been prepared. The aim of this study is to evaluate the natural and cultural resource values of Ilgaz Mountain National Park and its immediate surroundings holistically in terms of sustainable tourism development.