THE POTENTIAL OF RURAL TOURISM IN TURKEY: THE CASE STUDY OF CAYONU

Preventing poverty and migration will only be possible by enhancing living standards in rural areas and ensuring a fair distribution of income. It is an open question whether rural tourism may prevent migration from rural to urban areas by providing new employment opportunities for the population and may show a positive impact in the development of these areas. This study was conducted to determine the rural tourism potential of Hilar (Cayonu) village, located in an area very close to caves and other historical remnants dating back to Neolithic times. This research showed that the biggest problem facing in this village is the insufficiency of infrastructure and superstructure, which was mentioned by 96.3% of respondents. When participants' level of awareness regarding the tourism potential of the village is considered, the proportion who considered the historic sites to be the most important quality of the village was low, 22.2%, contrary to expectations, whereas agricultural products and traditional foods were seen as most important by 46.4% and 29.6%, respectively. In conclusion, the participants have knowledge on the benefit of tourism, but they cannot take action about vitalization. Therefore, they need to learn to act together with common by founding their own organizations.