Abstract:

Tourism is one of the leading sectors which is rapidly developing both around the world and in our country. Alternative tourism types such as alpinism, climatism, cultural tourism, eco-tourism, rural tourism, etc. have arisen particularly upon variation of the tourism. One of the alternative tourism types attracting attention among these is speleological tourism. Accordingly, many caves have been investigated, and opened to tourism in our country. Cimagil Cave, located within the provincial borders of Bayburt, is one of the caves opened to tourism. Cimagil Cave is located at the Quarter of Tasindibi affiliated to the Village of Asacimagil in the southeastern of the Province of Bayburt. It is 57 km away from the centrum of Bayburt, and its altitude above the sea level is 2550 m. The Cave has been opened to tourism upon completion of trip platforms, lighting and other infrastructural services. The Cave has a rich potential for tourism with its many stalactites, stalagmites and various forms. However, the number of visitors is quite a few due to failure in introduction of the Cave nationally and internationally. In respect of environmental features, Cimagil Cave has natural and cultural values regarding eco-tourism varieties besides speleological tourism. Accordingly, it will have been ensured that development of the region with limited resources is contributed, even a little, through the tourism investments to be carried out considering the eco-tourism potential of the Cave and its surrounding. To that end, it will have been ensured that geographical position and formation of the Cave as well as eco-tourism resources available at its surrounding will be introduced through this study, that many more tourists will visit the Cave and its surrounding, and that thereby an alternative resource will be added to the economies of the rural settlements available in the province of Bayburt and the surrounding of the Cave.

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