Abstract:

The life course of the destination is critical in sustainable tourism which includes many dimensions. The life course of destinations, which begins with the exploration phase, continues towards the decline process for various reasons. Continuing the life course of the destination, postponing the decline phase, or rejuvenating a destination that is in the decline phase depends on determining the stage of tourism development of the destinations and what kind of development course they follow. This study aims to determine the applicability of Boğazkale, where is essential destination for cultural heritage tourism for Butler's (1980) Tourism Area’s Life Cycle model and on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List and the Memory of the World List. Single-case study design was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to determine which life stage Boğazkale destination was within the scope of Butler's (1980) TALC model. Exploratory and explanatory case analysis was used for the findings. As a result, it has been determined that Boğazkale's destination is in the “decline stage.”