Ecology-based tourism potential with regard to alternative tourism activities in Altındere Valley (Trabzon – Maçka).

The present study was conducted in areas covering the Yazlık Village settlement of Maçka District, parts of Altındere and Coşandere Villages, and surrounding fields and plateau settlements, which are all located within Altındere Valley, Trabzon province. The purpose of this study is to determine the use potential of priority area for tourism with a consideration of sustainable use principles, which will serve to protect the ecological structure of the area and its surroundings. With this purpose in mind, a methodological design has been established in order to detect the most suitable regions for tourism activities which can be carried out in the rural areas with protected natural resources. In the research study, ‘V-Wert’ method was developed and used in order to identify the utilization of the research area and its surroundings with respect to ecology-based tourism and alternative tourism activities. In the study that was carried out, an activity value was calculated for the activities that will emerge as a result of ecology-based tourism planning and the determination of tourism potential, in the scope of the methodology, and then was added to the formula as a multiplier. A specific tourism potential map was created through V-Wert method. When tourism potential evaluation was carried out for plan- squares in regard to climate, transportation, relief, forest and waterside, and activity values, the ratios obtained were, respectively, 9.7% for ‘very good’; 9.11% for ‘good’; 21.176% for ‘average’; 40.3% for ‘weak’; and 19.7% for ‘very weak’ areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]