The perception of local people about the tourism potential in Ulubey canyon (Usak province)

Abstract

“U” shaped valleys which has steep slope to the edges and wide on the bed that formed because of gully erosion in karstic field is called as canyon (canyons are quite distinctive areas in terms of the touristic aspect both formation and the ecosystem in the valley.Ulubey canyons located on Ulubey district in Usak province is one of them. Ulubey canyon and its surrounding are extremely rich in terms of natural and cultural aspects. However, has not yet been introduced with tourism in an effective way. There is not much more study related to the Ulubey canyon and its periphery with the geographical approach.This study focused on the awareness of local people to the tourism potential of Ulubey and its surroundings. Study has carried out with the implementation 5-point Likert scales that include 26 questions within 2 sections. Results have been evaluated with using the SPSS 15.0 program and are expressed in the table and graphs in the related sections. The study contributes valuable information in terms of sustainable tourism planning by giving opinions of local people who are one of the key interest groups in the tourism sector.