Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Sürdürülebilir Turizme Yönelik Tutumları: Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Örneği

Abstract

Tourism is a general phenomenon that arises from the fact that the natural, historical and other attractions which are supported by the infrastructure and superstructure facilities and presented to consumers. Because of this reason, ability of attractions to continue of offering tourist products and increasing their tourism potential depends on the sustainability of tourism. Sustainability of tourism activities in a region is highly depend on the stakeholder’s attitudes towards sustainability. University students could be seen as an important stakeholder with their potential of shaping the tourisms future due to their high level of travel intentions and participation in tourism, as well as the education they receive and the social status they will reach in the future. The aim of this study is to measure the attitudes of university students about tourism sustainability. According to this aim, the research is planned as a descriptive study which is included in quantitative research. In this study, Suk et al., (2005) scale was used which has 38 items and 7 dimensions for measuring local population’s sustainable tourism attitudes. Primary data sources were used in the study. In order to measure the attitudes of participants about tourism sustainability, a questionnaire form was prepared and made by face to face technique. Students of Mehmet Akif Ersoy University which is located in Burdur where a wide variety of alternative tourism types has been the participants of the research. In the study, the department of students, their holiday experiences, the average holiday time, the type of hotel generally occupied, the average monthly expenditure amount, life period in Burdur, their gender and seven dimensions of tourism sustainability attitudes are investigated by the results of the factor analysis. Hypothesis tests, correlation and cluster analysis were also used in this study. Finally, at the end of the study, it was found that there is a relationship between the university students’ department, the type of accommodation, holiday period, gender and tourism sustainability attitudes.