Abstract:

Tourism is a multi-dimensional and dynamic process based on the interaction between tourists and hosts in terms of impacting economic, social, cultural and environmental factors. The responsible tourism approach, which aims to reduce the negative economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism and to benefit the local public, covers that all stakeholders in the destination are aware of their responsibilities and their practices within the framework of these responsibilities. The main objective of this study is to explore the role of responsible tourism understanding in the development of tourist destinations, which aims to minimize the negative effects of tourism on the destination, to produce economic benefits for the local people, to involve the local people in the decision-making process, to preserve natural resources and cultural heritage, to establish meaningful connections between tourists and the local people, to ensure access to disadvantaged groups and to be cultural sensitive. First of all, the literature was studied. In light of the information contained in domestic and foreign literature, the first two parts of the study were created and the data obtained with the help of deep conversation and focus group conversation, which are the data collection tools, were evaluated. The relationship between responsible tourism and destination development has been thoroughly studied within the scope of environmental responsibility, economic responsibility and socio-cultural responsibility, which are the dimensions of responsible tourism. In the last part of the study, in light of the findings obtained within the framework of the research, the effects of the responsible tourism understanding on the development of the destination, the roles in the responsible tourism understanding of the destination stakeholders and the responsible tourism approach and the process of the development of the destination.

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