A method to determine the potential for flora tourism in mountainous regions: a case study of the Kackar Mountains National Park, Turkey

Abstract

Various mountainous areas in the world are noted for their floristic diversity and the presence of endemic plants. However, no serious studies on the management of flora tourism in areas that have a serious potential for flora tourism have previously been conducted. The present study focuses on analysing the potential for flora tourism within the context of sustainable alternative tourism. In this context, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method facilitates decision-making, and allows the consistency of assessment criteria to be measured and their degrees of significance to be determined. Nine main assessment criteria were identified (endemic-rare plant count, conservation and scientific value, floristic diversity, vegetation diversity, aesthetic plant communities, seasonal attractiveness, accessibility for visits, diversity of utilizable plants, services provided). The priority and consistency for these criteria were confirmed using AHP. Based on the results, the weight score for each criterion was converted to a percentage. The method was tested using the Kackar Mountains National Park (Turkey) as an example and the flora tourism potential of the area was calculated, resulting in an assessment scale for the sustainability of the flora in mountainous areas that could be applied easily in other areas.