The employability of socio-economic resources in tourism-oriented rural development: The case of Kilistra

Abstract

Different periods and events have brought about changes in people's perspectives on tourism. The isolation and travel restrictions that emerged during the recent pandemic process have directed people to low-density areas where they will meet their basic needs. The interest in rural areas has increased with the fear and the need to get away from the crowd. When this transformation process, which offers opportunities to rural areas, is evaluated, it is predicted that the planning and arrangement studies to be carried out in these regions will also solve the problems of rural areas such as equipment, education and infrastructure deficiencies. In this way, it is expected that the quality of life of people living in rural areas will increase. In this study, “How should the situation of socio-economic resources be evaluated for rural development? seeking an answer to the question. In the study, points were given according to the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of the area and the development of tourism, in line with expert opinions. With this scoring system, the adequacy status of each criterion related to the socio-economic structure has been determined. As a result, by evaluating the socio-economic resources of the Kilistra settlement, suggestions are developed to support tourism-oriented rural development.