Located on the eastern coast of Lake Van in eastern Turkey, the city of Van is home to numerous urban landscapes – both ancient and modern – that occupy important places in the city’s collective cultural memory. This study examined how information on Van’s spatial landscape was represented cognitively; by evaluating these perceptions, this study investigated the relationship between urban landscapes that could give the city and collective urban memory a particular identity. Whilst doing this, we also attempted to determine relevant emergent themes pertaining to the city. Accordingly, the information making up the personal memories of Van’s residents was holistically analysed through oral history interviews conducted with several individuals. Interviewees’ references to urban landscapes revealed that both urban memory and urban identity could be regarded as fundamental spatial elements. Emergent themes pertained primarily to recreational areas, activities performed in these areas and panoramas of water. Despite marked differences in their professions, interviewees’ memories showed numerous similarities. Although many scholars have extensively analysed urban identity and cultural landscapes, the case of Van has yet to be discussed.

This research was carried out at the Öşkvank Monastery, located within the Uzundere district of Erzurum province in the northeast of Turkey. Öşkvank Monastery is a significant cultural heritage and tourism asset for the region with a history dating back to the 10th century. Despite its importance as a tourism attraction, the monastery currently lacks any protection or management strategy that threatens the transfer of the monastery to future generations. This research focuses on the management of cultural heritage through sustainable tourism development, and it was conducted using a mixed methodology, combining quantitative and qualitative studies. As part of the research, a survey was made, and Öşkvank Monastery was evaluated in terms of sustainable tourism principles. The survey results showed that the participants did not appreciate Öşkvank Monastery regarding sustainable tourism principles. A SWOT analysis was performed through a focus group study to identify the internal (strengths, weaknesses) and external (opportunities, threats) conditions of the region in relation to sustainable tourism. Based on the SWOT analysis, a TOWS matrix was developed and strategies for sustainable tourism development were formulated. TOWS strategies were classified by the content analysis method, and an eight-step Cultural Heritage Management Framework (CHMF) was prepared.

Alternatif turizm çeşitlerinden biri olan ekoturizm, 1980’li yıllarda doğal ve kültürel alanlara yönelik yapılan bir etkinlik olarak ortaya çıkmış ve turizm endüstrisinin hızla büyüyen alt sektörlerinden biri haline gelmiştir. Ekoturizmin bir çeşidi olan mağara turizmi son zamanlarda macera ve doğa sporlarına meraklı pek çok ziyaretçi için alternatif bir turizm çeşidi olmuştur. Ülkemiz sahip olduğu 40.000’in üzerinde mağara sebebiyle, dünyadaki diğer ülkelerle karşılaştırıldığında “mağara cenneti” olarak tanımlanabilir. Çalışmada yer alan ve Erzurum iline bağlı İspir ilçesinde yer alan Elmalı Mağarası, sahip olduğu ilginç jeolojik ve jeomorfolojik yapısı, sarkıt ve dikitleri ve 400 m ye ulaşan uzunluğuyla ülkemizin önemli mağaralarından birisidir. Birbiriyle bağlantılı ve paralel uzanan iki galeri ve toplam 8 salondan meydana gelen mağarada sığ göller, çok çeşitli damlataşı oluşumları (sarkıt, dikit, sütun vb) görülmeye değerdir. Bu araştırmanın amacı, Erzurum ilinin alternatif turizm potansiyelinin incelenerek, bölgenin sahip olduğu mağara turizmi potansiyelin nasıl turizm sektörüne kazandırabileceğini Elmalı mağarası örneğinde ortaya koymaktır. Bu kapsamda “Elmalı mağarasının mevcut turizm potansiyeli belirlenip, bu potansiyelin, doğal ve kültürel kaynak değerleri açısından oldukça zengin olan Erzurum iline sağlayacakları katkılar konusunda bir değerlendirme ortaya koyulmuştur. Çalışmada SWOT Analizi yapılarak, alanın mağara turizmi potansiyeli açısından, güçlü ve zayıf yönleri ile gelecekte oluşabilecek fırsat ve tehditlerin neler olabileceği belirlenmeye çalışılmıştır. _______________________________________________________ Cave Tourism as an Ecotourism Activity; the Sample of Erzurum Elmalı Cave Abstract Ecotourism, one type of alternative tourism, appeared first in 1980s as an activity using natural and cultural areas and turned out to be one of the fastest growing subsector of tourism. Cave tourism, one type of ecotourism, has been preferred in recent years by the visitors keen on adventure and nature sports. Turkey can be defined as cave heaven with over 40.000 caves it shelters. Present study is related to Elmalı Cave, in İspir District, Erzurum. The cave is one of the most important caves in Turkey with its unique and fascinating geological and geomorphological structure, stalactites and a 400 – m length. The cave shelters two galleries lying in parallel and connectedly to each other; eight halls, shallow lakes, various drop stones and many others. The aim of present study is to investigate alternative tourism potential of Erzurum province, and how to combine potential cave tourism in the region with other tourism types in the sample of Elmalı cave. In this scope, present tourism potentials of Elmalı cave were determined by evaluating the contributions of these potentials to Erzurum covering a rich natural and cultural source values and analyzing strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the area for cave tourism potentials.

En tr The equipment elements are elements in different forms and structures that facilitate the lives of people in urban areas, add functionality, authenticity and aesthetics to the space, complement and define the space. The aim of this study is to determine people‟s level of satisfaction by evaluating the equipment elements used in the parks in Erzurum (Palandöken, Kuğulu, 100th Year, TavĢanlı, Gençlik and Olimpiyat, ġehitler, Yakutiye and Ata Botanical Park) considering different criteria of ergonomics, security, maintenance, aesthetics, originality, compatibility and durability considering different criteria of ergonomics, security, maintenance, aesthetics, originality, compatibility and durability. This study was carried out in the city parks of Palandöken, Kuğulu, 100th Year, TavĢanlı, Gençlik and Olimpiyat, ġehitler, Yakutiye and Ata Botanical Park, which are used extensively in summers. The results of the study conducted with 100 people in 2017 were analyzed in SPSS program. As a result of the study, the sitting elements in the parks used throughout the city received the lowest score with the care criteria in 4.1 p and the highest score was 7.1 p in the ergonomics criterion. Trash; the lowest average score was 3.3 p with originality and 3.7 maintenance criteria. The highest score was taken with 6.9 p safety and 6.7 p and ergonomics criterion. Flooring elements; the lowest score (4.7 p) with the originality, with the highest score of 7.3 p ergonomics has taken the criterion. Pergolas; the lowest score was 4.5 p with the originality criterion, the highest score with the safety (7.3) and aesthetic (7.1) and maintenance (6.8) received the criteria and the results were statistically significant (p <0.05) was found to be significant. Information and guidance signs; while the lowest score was obtained with 4.9 p ergonomics and 5.3 p with the originality criteria and the highest score was 7.1 p with the safety criterion. Children's play elements; the lowest score was 3.8 p with originality criterion and the highest score was 6.4 p with the care criteria (p <0.05 was important). When the results of the questionnaire were evaluated, positive and negative aspects of the uses in city parks for landscape ergonomics were determined and some solutions were presented for the contribution of urban equipment elements to city image at spatial size. Donatı elamanları, kentsel alanlarda insanların yaşamını kolaylaştıran, mekana işlevsellik, özgünlük ve estetik katan, mekanı tamamlayıcı ve tanımlayıcı özelliklere sahip farklı form ve yapılarda öğelerdir. Bu çalışma, Erzurum‟da yoğun olarak kullanılan parklardaki (Palandöken, Kuğulu, Tavşanlı, Gençlik ve Olimpiyat, ġehitler, Yakutiye, 100. Yıl Parkı ve Ata Botanik Park) donatı elemanlarının ergonomi, güvenlik, bakım, estetik, orijinallik, çevreye uyumluluk ve dayanıklılık gibi farklı kriterler açısından memnuniyet düzeylerini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. 2017 yılında 100 kiĢi ile yapılan çalıĢmanın sonuçları SPSS programında analiz edilmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda kent genelinde kullanılan parklardaki oturma elemanları en düşük puanı; bakım (4.1), en yüksek puanı; ergonomi (7.1) kriterinde almıştır. Çöp kutusu en düşük ortalama puanı; orijinallik (3.3), bakım (3.7), en yüksek puanı; güvenlik (6.9), ergonomi (6.7), döşeme elemanları en düşük puanı; orijinallik (4.7), en yüksek puanı ise ergonomi (7.3), pergolalar en düşük puanı; orijinallik (4.5), en yüksek puanı ise ile güvenlik (7.3), estetik (7.1), bakım (6.8) kriterinde almış ve elde edilen sonuçlar istatistiki olarak (p<0.05) anlamlı bulunmuştur. Bilgilendirme ve yönlendirme levhaları en düşük puanı; ergonomi (4.9), orijinallik (5.3), en yüksek puanı: güvenlik (7.1) kriterinden almıştır. Çocuk oyun elemanları; en düşük puanı orijinallik (3.8), en yüksek puanı bakımlılık (6.4) kriterinde almıştır (p<0.05). Çalışmadan elde edilen anket sonuçları değerlendirildiğinde Erzurum‟da kent parklarına yönelik kullanımlarının peyzaj ergonomisi açısından olumlu ve olumsuz yönleri belirlenmiş, kentsel donatı elemanlarının, Şehir imajına mekansal ve alansal boyutlarda katkı sağlayabilmesi sürecinde yapılması gerekenler konusunda çözüm önerileri sunulmuştu