Determination of Butterflies’ Potential in Tourism Diversification Based on a Route-Planning Case Study in Botan Valley National Park, Turkey

Abstract

This paper intended to clarify the importance of studying Botan Valley’s nature with the biodiversity as an ecotourism site and alternative tourism. Butterfly watching is an alternative sort of ecotourism and special interest tourism activity that has grown in popularity in recent years. Turkey hosts various butterfly species, as it does other animal and plant species. Butterfly watching is important for diversification in the sustainable tourism industry. But butterfly watching has yet to be sufficiently investigated. To address this deficiency, the authors conducted a case study in Botan Valley, Siirt province, located in southeastern Turkey. Botan Valley is among the new national parks of Turkey and spans approximately 29 kilometers. The butterfly species in the study region were identified by collecting or photographing samples between the years of 2017 and 2020. A total of 78 species of butterflies belonging to 7 families were determined. Of those species, 63 were first discovered in the valley. The list of identified species and photos of many species are presented in the paper. The most suitable trekking route has been determined and created in the valley where nature lovers can watch and photograph these butterflies on foot. The diversity of butterflies in Botan Valley contributes to the location’s potential as a source of wildlife watching tourism opportunities.