VIEWS AND EXPECTATIONS OF MUSLIMS LIVING IN NORTHERN CYPRUS REGARDING FAITH TOURISM

Burak  Gökbulut; Mustafa  Yeniasır

doi:10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp59-78

Burak Gökbulut Department of Turkish Language Teaching, Near East University, Nicosia, 99138, Northern Cyprus. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3968-9207
Mustafa Yeniasır Department of Turkish Language Teaching, Near East University, Nicosia, 99138, Northern Cyprus. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9196-1805

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp59-78

Abstract

Background and purposes: Alternative tourism activities are becoming more important for the future of Northern Cyprus. In this context, faith tourism, which has gained popularity in recent years, has special importance for Northern Cyprus, a country with essential structures of different religions. In this paper, the importance of faith tourism, which supposedly contributes to the tourism of Northern Cyprus, is revealed through the public's perspectives.

Methodology: Data was collected through the questionnaire distributed to 60 respondents. The questionnaire consists of two sections; the first section includes two questions on the socio-demographic characteristics and the second section consists of 10 multiple choice questions to determine the opinions and expectations of people living in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on faith tourism.

Findings: It is found that the Muslim people living in Northern Cyprus have a positive view towards faith tourism, and they have general information about the sites. In addition, they are tolerant of this form of tourism.

Contribution: This study is significant in terms of showing the potential of faith tourism in the Northern Cyprus. In this article, a number of suggestions have been presented on how this type of tourism can be developed, especially by taking the opinions and expectations of the people.

Keywords: Tourism, faith tourism, Northern Cyprus, island, religion, Islam.

Cite as: Gökbulut, B., & Yeniasır, M. (2022). Views and expectations of Muslims living in northern Cyprus regarding faith tourism. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 7(1), 59-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp59-78

Author Biographies

Burak Gökbulut, Department of Turkish Language Teaching, Near East University, Nicosia, 99138, Northern Cyprus.

Burak Gökbulut completed a four-year undergraduate program in 2001. After that, he started the master program at Ege University-Department of Turkish Folklore in 2001. In 2010, he completed his doctorate in education. He has been working at the Near East University since 2008. His research interests include folklore, literature, Turkology, beliefs, culture, and education. He has a lot of publications in various journals indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO, etc.

Mustafa Yeniasır, Department of Turkish Language Teaching, Near East University, Nicosia, 99138, Northern Cyprus.

Mustafa Yeniasır completed a four-year undergraduate program in 2001. After that, he started the master program at the Ege University-Department of Turkish World Literatures in 2001. In 2010, he completed his doctorate in education. He has been working at the Near East University since 2007. His research interests include literature, Turkology, culture, and education. He has a lot of publications in various journals indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO, etc.

References

Albayrak, T., Herstein, R., Caber, M., Drori, N., Bideci, M., & Berger, R. (2018). Exploring religious tourist experiences in Jerusalem: The intersection of Abrahamic religions. Tourism Management, 69(1), 285-296.

Çavuş, A., & Zere, S. (2019). Perception of faith tourism by local people: The case of Giresun province. Atatürk University Journal of the Faculty of Literature, 63(1), 143-162.

Çelen, O., Zenger, E., Bayram, G. E., & Altunoz, Ö. (2019). Faith tourism in Şanlıurfa from the perspective of local people. In H. Pamukçu & K. Oktay (Eds.), 2nd international halal tourism congress proceedings books (pp. 66-80). Kastamonu University, Tourism Faculty.

Çelik, S. (2018). Alternative tourism. Journal of International Social Research, 11(56), 193-205.

Düzgüneş, E., & Demirel, Ö. (2013). Evaluation of Maçka region in terms of alternative tourism potential. İnönü University Art and Design Journal, 3(7), 1-11.

Karabulut, K., & Köksal, Y. (2019). Faith tourism and its impact on regional development the case of Ağrı province. Journal of Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University Graduate School of Social Sciences, 5(1), 83-104.

Karabulut, T., & Kaynak, İ. H. (2016). Urban tourism and cultural tourism in the context of faith tourism: The case of Konya. Selçuk University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, 35(1), 185-191.

Karakaş, A., & Şengün, H. İ. (2017). Local people's attitudes towards tourism activities. Bartın University İİBF Journal, 8(15), 183-202.

Kasim, A. (2011). Balancing tourism and religious experience: Understanding devotees' perspectives on Thaipusam in Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 20(3-4), 441-456.

Koçoğlu, C. M., Bakkaloğlu, F., & Acar, A. (2019). Evaluation of local people's perspectives on faith tourism according to demographic features. Gümüshane University Electronic Journal of the Institute of Social Science, 10(1), 124-131.

Nghia, L. Q. (2015). Role of the local community in spiritual tourism development: The case of Ninh Binh. In R. Leghari, F. Andrews, I. Stefanovic & M. Diotallevi (Eds.), First UNWTO international conference on spiritual tourism for sustainable development 2013 (pp. 104-107). UNWTO.

Öner, S., & Cansu, E. (2019). Faith tourism potential in Ankara and inferential analysis of local people from the perspective of faith tourism. Turar Journal of Tourism and Research, 8(1), 84-105.

Önger, S., & Çetin, T. (2017). Secondary school students' perception of faith tourism and tolerance. Anatolian Journal of Cultural Studies, 1(1), 70-84.

Sargın, S. (2006). Faith tourism in Yalvac. Fırat University Journal of Social Sciences, 16(2), 1-18.

Uzun, F. V., & Somuncu, M. (2011). The opinions of local people in context of relations between cultural landscape protection and tourism: Case of Ihlara Valley. Ankara University Journal of Ecological Sciences, 3(2), 21-36.

Yeniasır, M., & Gökbulut, B. (2018). Perception and attitudes of local people on sustainable cultural tourism on the islands: The case of Nicosia. Sustainability, 10(6), 1-16.

Yeşiltaş, M., & Öztürk, İ. (2008). An evaluation of alternative tourism activities within the framework of regional development: Sivas example. Cumhuriyet University Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 9(1), 1-18.