Abstract:

The main purpose of this study is to research social tourism within sustainable tourism approach and to produce proposals for İzmir on this issue. It is pointed out in this study that, nowadays, very diverse practices of social tourism policies in the world have the objective of increasing individual and social wellbeing and quality of life focusing on the social inclusion with more humanistic point of view for the people who can not participate in holidays because of their physical, financial and alike disadvantages. Following the theoretical part comprising the review of the resources about the studies of national and international organizations and the legal principles and implications of social tourism in different countries from the world including Turkey about the social tourism within the sustainable tourism approach; comes the practical part of the research. In this part of the study, the data gathered by semi-structured interviews with the representatives of the institutions concerned with social tourism mentioned in the related part of “Tourism Strategy of Turkey 2023, Action Plan 2007-2013” is analysed with Nvivo11 qualitative data analysis program and the results and suggestions are inferred with content analysis. Consequently, the study brings a sustainable perspective to social tourism in İzmir, contributes to the literature and brings concrete suggestions that may lead the representatives of the sector for the development of social tourism in İzmir with a sustainable approach.

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