Abstract :
Tourism, which is one of the most important sectors in today’s world, displays a parallel process with the social and economic structures of societies. From this perspective, the interest of people may change from sunlight, beach, sand, shortly sea tourism, to eco tourism and cultural tourism. Noise pollution resulting from urban life and population density may have played part in this. Interest in cultural heritage tourism increases day by day especially among those people with higher level of income.Safranbolu, one of the well-protected examples of Turkish urban history, is a peculiar settlement with its wooden, stone, and sun-dried brick constructed carcass houses, mosques, fountains, khans, baths and traditional city structure in our country, all of which is a land to be protected. UNESCU, believing that these peculiarities are important for the whole world, included Safranbolu in World Heritage List in 1994. Such settlements reflecting traditional architecture are open to the threat of urbanization. However, in the case of Safranbolu, the plateau on which the historical settlement called Çarşı was located, has been protected because of its not being suitable for the addition of new settlements. This has helped protection of cultural heritage, mainly houses. Especially after 1975, with protective consciousness, these houses have been restored and put in the service of tourism.It is not surprising that Japans, who are known to have respect for their traditions, take the first place among people who visit Safranbolu. The fact that the use of wood is a mutual feature although architecture is different must have affected their preference.Safranbolu’s becoming a centre of attraction for cultural tourism became a model for some settlements like Beypazarı. Townspeople, local administration and vocational college have their shares in Safranbolu’s success. Yet, the uncontrolled utilization of structures of cultural heritage for hotel, motel and pension cause the loss of their originality. Besides, involvement of people without professional expertise in tourism is another threat for tourism.
NaturalLanguageKeyword :
Safranbolu , Safranbolu houses , heritage tourism , cultural tourism , protection
