Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
PLANLAMA-PLANNING, cilt.27, sa.2, ss.115-128, 2017 (ESCI)
Rural tourism is seen as a new type of tourism in order to strengthen the economic structure by evaluating the cultural, natural and historical potentials in rural areas. On the rise of tourism, individuals' quest for new life experiences, departure from the crowd of metropolitan areas, and the desire to being closer to nature and experience different forms of culture and life are influential. Rural areas have a great potential to satisfy these demands. Furthermore, rural tourism development contributes to local development, and to local potential based on human capital. The aim of this study is to analyze the basic structure of tourism enterprises that are the main actors of economic development in Beypazari District, which stands out among the surrounding districts of Ankara province with the potential of rural tourism, and to discuss the possible effects of the emergence of rural tourism perception among entrepreneurs on local development. A survey was conducted with 62 tourism enterprises in the Beypazari District. The results of the research reveal that female labor force in Beypazari has an important part as an entrepreneur and that the number of female that shifted from being housewife to entrepreneur isn't low. In Beypazari, the entrepreneurs of rural tourism enterprises agree on the positive effects of rural tourism on local development. It is also seen that in Beypazari, the entrepreneurs have a perception that although there is possibilities in tourism, local potentials are not used enough, and the evaluation of the social effects of rural tourism differs according to the gender and educational status of the entrepreneur. The findings of the research can provide clues as to the place and the importance of rural tourism in local development studies, and beyond that, they can guide the improvement of local development strategies.