Abstract:

Cultural heritage assets located in the center of tourist activities are the attractive elements of vital importance for tourist destinations. The development and transfer of destinations to future generations will be possible with the preservation of natural beauty and cultural heritage objects. Specifically in the future, the determination of the level of perception of graduate students in tourism education, which will play a decisive role in the tourism sector, is seen as an important step in the transfer of these assets to future generations by preserving them. The aim of the study in this scope is to determine the perceptions of cultural heritage of the bachelor's students who receive tourism education. According to the purpose of the study, data were collected from 342 students who studied in the Department of Tourism Management at Karabük University and Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University using the survey technique. Statistical analysis of the data obtained from the research was applied. These analyses include frequency distribution, reliability analysis, factor analysis, t test and Mann-Whitney U test. According to the applied t test and Mann-Whitney U test results, students’ perceptions of cultural heritage have shown significant differences from the university they study.

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