A New Inclination in Searching for the Identity: Root Tourism in Central Asia

Abstract

It is said in Bilge Kaghan inscription, one of the Orkhon inscriptions, that “Turkish people give up this habit and regret it! People of the holy Otuken Mountain, you left your fatherland”. This expression used by Bilge Kaghan to remark the importance of staying in Otuken Forest and not leaving there, in a sense, can be as a principal motivator and slogan of the travels for the Turks worldwide in order to visit their homelands to learn about the roots and heritage. Nowadays, the urge for searching the ancestor and the roots, finding and reinforcing the identity and experiencing the old times is an important tourism field. The primary aim of this study is to conceptualize the new notions used in the international literature that arise from new tourism activities such as nostalgia and root tourism in the Turkish language. Besides, contributing to the planning process of the supply and demand conditions that might be developed between Turkey and Central Asia based on the common cultural heritage is another important aim of the study. The research, based on the literature review and secondary data, reveal that root tourism is a significant opportunity for the Turks and Turkey and Central Asia. 

Keywords

• Ancestral Tourism
• Root Tourism
• Genealogy Tourism
• Central Asia
• Turkish World

Kimlik Arayışında Yeni Bir Eğilim: Orta Asya’da Atayurt Turizmi

Abstract

Orhon yazıtlarından biri olan Bilge Kağan yazıtında “Türk halkı (bu huyundan) vazgeç ve nadim ol! Kutsal Ötüken Dağları Halkı, (sen kendin yerini yurdunu bırakıp) gittin” ifadesi yer almaktadır. Bilge Kağan tarafından Ötüken ormanında kal, oradan ayrılma anlamında kullanılan bu ifade bir anlamda bütün dünyadaki ve özellikle Türkiye’deki Türklerin ata yurtlarını ziyaret etme ve kökleri ile ilgili mirası görme amacıyla yapacakları seyahatlerin temel motivasyonu ve sloganı olabilir. Günümüzde bireylerin, atalarını ve köklerini araştırma, kimliğini bulma, güçlendirme ve geçmiş zamanı yaşama isteği önemli bir turizm alanı haline gelmiştir. Bu çalışmanın öncelikli amacını miras ve nostalji odaklı ortaya çıkan bu yeni turizm faaliyetleriyle ilgili uluslararası alanyazında kullanılan kavramların Türkçe karşılıklarının geliştirilmesidir. Ayrıca, bu kapsamda Türkiye ile Orta Asya arasında ortak kültürel mirasa dayalı olarak geliştirilebilecek turizm arz ve talep koşullarının planlanmasına katkı sunulması çalışmanın bir diğer amacını oluşturmaktadır. Alanyazına ve ikincil verilere dayalı olarak yapılan bu çalışma, miras odaklı gelişen turizm türlerinin Türkler ve Türkiye ve Orta Asya Ülkeleri için önemli bir fırsat olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• Atasoy Turizmi
• Atayurt Turizmi
• Soy İzi Turizmi
• Orta Asya
• Türk Dünyası

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