Abstract
Sustainable Tourism Potential of Artvin Province in the Framework of EU Tourism Policies
The concept of sustainable tourism has been used since 1990s. Today, sustainable tourism is supported by both developed and developing countries due to protection of environment, provision of social justice, increasing economic development, preservation of traditional cultures and transferring to the next generations. It is also accepted as an instrument for supplying the needs of the local community and for achieving the aims of improving living standards. Sustainable tourism has a key role for EU tourism policy that aims to maintain Europe's standing as a leading destination while maximising the industry's contribution to growth and employment and promoting cooperation between EU countries. As a candidate country, Turkey must transform its own tourism policy and sustainable tourism application compatible with EU standards and policies. Artvin province is a one of the most important destinations of Turkey due to its perfect landscape, rich plant and animal variety for sustainable tourism. It also has different inefficient alternative tourism forms that are also sustainable tourism types. On the other hand, Artvin has also very big potential to establish and/or to increase different sustainable tourism forms such as botanic tourism, bird watching tourism, hunting tourism, sport fishing, nature / mountain trekking, horse riding, cave tourism, bicycle tourism, plateau and festival tourism, river tourism, wildlife (fauna) observation, caravan tourism. This paper analyses and explains the sustainable tourism potential of the region in the framework of EU tourism policy and makes some suggestions to improve its potential.
Keywords
1) Sustainable tourism, 2) Alternative Tourism 3) EU Tourism Policy 4)Artvin