The Effects of Cave Tourism on Akçakoca Tourism: Fakıllı Cave Example

Abstract

With its beauty, atmosphere and air that it has, The Fakilli Cave, is visited by thousands of tourists every year. But when the annual average of visitors has been considered the Cave cannot reached the number of visitors that it deserved, yet. In this context the aim of our research is, with determining the factors that affect the tourism demand for the Fakilli Cave, to provide suggestions for the increase of that demand. Two methods have been used for achieving that aim. Firstly, with participatory observation method information about the Cave and its surroundings has been collected. Later a semi-structured interview has been conducted to 25 participants who had information about the subject from the Akçakoca's stakeholders of tourism using interview technique from qualitative research methods. With help of the data obtained, the SWOT analysis matrix was created. According to results of the research it has seen that it is important in terms of the Fakilli Cave's closeness to the settlement and inner-city road route, the activities to increase tourism demand for the Cave. On the other hand, it has been determined that the Cave had not been adequately maintained and promotion and marketing activities had been failed. Those and similar cases are the other significant results that would be able to affect tourism demand of the Cave in a negative way.