Dönüşümsel Seyahat: Kaçkar Dağları Milli Parkı Örneği

Öz

Seyahate dayalı deneyimler bireylerin bilgi, tutum ve davranışlarında değişimlere yol açabilmektedir. Dönüşümsel seyahat turistlerde dönüşüme yol açabilen öğrenme ve kişisel gelişim gibi motivasyonlarla gerçekleştirilen seyahatleri ifade etmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı Kaçkar Milli Parkı’na seyahat eden bireylerin seyahat sonucunda edindikleri dönüşümü anlamaya çalışmaktır. Dönüşümsel Öğrenme Kuramı’na (Mezirow 1978) dayalı olarak geliştirilen bu çalışmada fenomenoloji yaklaşımı kullanılmıştır. Kaçkar Dağları Milli Parkı’nı ziyaret etmiş̧ 16 katılımcıyla yapılan mülakatlarla zengin ve derin veri sağlanmıştır. Katılımcıların seyahatleri sonucunda çevresel farkındalık, davranışsal değişim, kendini gerçekleştirme, kişisel gelişim, sosyal ve kültürel değişim, sağlık ve iyi oluş̧ ve toplumsal fayda geliştirdikleri bulgulanmıştır. Çalışmada, Kaçkar Dağları Milli Parkı’nın dönüştürücü potansiyeli ile ilgili ipuçları elde edilerek ileriki çalışmalara yol gösterebilecek öneriler ortaya konmuştur. Ayrıca bu çalışma, seyahatin bireyler üzerindeki dönüştürücü gücünü Kaçkar Dağları Milli Parkı özelinde tespit ederek, ulusal alanyazınını genişletme niteliğindedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Dönüşümsel seyahat
• Dönüşümsel öğrenme
• Dönüşümsel turizm
• Seyahat motivasyonu

Transformational Travel: Case of Kaçkar Mountains National Park

Abstract

Travel-based experiences can make some changes in the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of individuals.Transformational travel refers to travels that are motivated by learning and personal development. It can lead to transformation in tourists. The aim of this study is to understand the transformation of tourists in Kaçkar Mountains National Park as a result of their travels. This phenomenology study was developed within the framework of Transformational Learning Theory (Mezirow, 1978). Rich and deep data were provided through interviews from 16 participants who visited the destination. It is found that participants experienced increasing environmental awareness, behavioral changes, self-actualization, personal development, socio-cultural changes, health, well-being and social benefit. In this study, the clues obtained about the transformative potential of the Kaçkar Mountains National Park are presented. Suggestions that may lead to further studies are asserted. In addition, this study aims to expand the national literature by identifying the transformative power of individuals by travelling to Kaçkar Mountains National Park.

Keywords

• Transformational travel
• Transformative learning
• Transformational tourism
• Travel motivations

Kaynakça

1. Ballantyne, R. Packer, J. ve Sutherland, L. A. (2011). Visitors’ Memories of Wildlife Tourism: Implications for the Design of Powerful Interpretive Experiences, Tourism Management, 32 (4): 770-779.
2. Binkhorst, E. ve Den Dekker, T. (2009). Agenda for Co-Creation Tourism Experience Research, Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 18 (2-3): 311-327.
3. Brown, L. (2009). The Transformative Power of the International Sojourn: An Ethnographic Study of the International Student Experience, Annals of Tourism Research, 36 (3): 502- 521.
4. Brymer, E. (2013). Extreme Sports as Transformational Tourism. İçinde Y. Reisinger (Editör), Transformational Tourism: Tourist Perspectives (ss. 111-124). Londra: CABI.
5. Christie, M. F. ve Mason, P. A. (2003). Transformative Tour Guiding: Training Tour Guides To Be Critically Reflective Practitioners, Journal of Ecotourism, 2 (1): 1-16.
6. Coghlan, A. ve Gooch, M. (2011). Applying a Transformative Learning Framework to Volunteer Tourism, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 19 (6): 713-728.
7. Creswell, J. W. ve Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining Validity in Qualitative Inquiry, Theory Into Practice, 39 (3): 124-130.
8. Creswell, John W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (3rd Ed.). Kaliforniya: Thousand Oaks, Sage.

9. Deville, A. ve Wearing, S. (2013). Wwoofing Tourists: Beaten Tracks and Transformational Paths. İçinde Y. Reisinger (Editör), Transformational Tourism: Tourist Perspectives (ss. 151-168). Londra: CABI.
10. Kanning, M. (2013). Returning Home: Reflections on Lifestyle Transformation Resulting From International Backpacker Travels. İçinde Y. Reisinger (Editör), Transformational Tourism: Tourist Perspectives (ss. 125-135). Londra: CABI.
11. Kottler, J. A. (1997). Travel That Can Change Your Life: How to Create a Transformative Experience. San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass.
12. Kottler, J. A. (1998). Transformative Travel, The Futurist, 32 (3): 24.
13. Landis, J.R. ve Koch, G.G. (1977). The Measurement of Observer Agreement for Categorical Data, Biometrics, 33 (1): 159-174.
14. Lean, G. (2009) Transformative Travel: Inspiring Sustainability. İçinde R. Bushell ve P. Sheldon (Editörler), Wellness and Tourism: Mind, Body, Spirit, Place (ss. 191-205). New York: Cognizant.
15. Lean, G., Staiff, R. ve Waterton, E. (2014). Exploring Travel and Transformation. Travel and Transformation. Londra: Routledge.
16. Macleod, N. (2006). Cultural Tourism: Aspects of Authenticity and Commodification. İçinde M. Robinson ve A. Phipps (Editörler), Cultural Tourism in a Changing World: Politics, Participation and (Re) Presentation (ss. 177-190). Clevedon: Channel View.
17. Mezirow, J. (1978). Perspective Transformation, Adult Education, 28 (2): 100-110.
18. Mezirow, J. (1991) Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
19. Mezirow, J. ve Taylor, E. W. (2009). Transformative Learning in Practice: Insights from Community, Workplace, and Higher Education. San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass.
20. Miles, M. B. ve Huberman, A. M., (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook. Kaliforniya: Thousand Oaks, Sage.
21. Morgan, A. D. (2010). “Journeys into Transformation: Travel to an “Other” Place as a Vehicle for Transformative Learning”, Journal of Transformative Education, 8 (4): 246-268.
22. Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological Research Methods. Kaliforniya: Sage.
23. Noy, C. (2004). This Trip Really Changed Me: Backpackers’ Narratives of Self-Change, Annals of Tourism Research, 31(1): 78-102.
24. O’reilly, C. C. (2006). From Drifter to Gap Year Tourist: Mainstreaming Backpacker Travel, Annals of Tourism Research, 33 (4): 998-1017.
25. O’sullivan, E. (2002). The Project and Vision of Transformative Education. İçinde E. O’sullivan ve A. Morrell (Editörler), Expanding the Boundaries of Transformative Learning: Essays on Theory and Praxis. (ss. 1-12). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
26. Onwuegbuzie, A. J. ve Leech, N. L. (2007). “Validity and Qualitative Research: An Oxymoron?, Quality & Quantity, 41 (2):233-249.
27. Reisinger, Y. (2013a). Transformation and Transformational Learning Theory. İçinde Y. Reisinger (Editör), Transformational Tourism: Tourist Perspectives. (ss.17-26). Londra: CABI.
28. Reisinger, Y. (2013b). Connection between Travel, Tourism and Transformation. İçinde Y. Reisinger (Editör), Transformational Tourism: Tourist Perspectives. (ss. 27-32). Londra: CABI.
29. Reisinger, Y. (2015). Personal Transformation and Travel and Tourism. İçinde Transformational Tourism: Host Perspectives. (ss. 6-13). Londra, CABI.
30. Ross, S. L. (2010). Transformative Travel: An Enjoyable Way to Foster Radical Change, Revision, 32 (1): 54-61.
31. Tomljenović, R. Ateljević, I. Đukić, L. ve Senkić, M. (2015). Transtourism–Operational Definition and Typology of Transformative Travel Experiences, http://www.transtourism.com/perch/resources/Files/a1o2-tt-working-definition-and-typology.pdf, Erişim tarihi: 15 Mayıs 2019.
32. Wearing, S. (2001). Volunteer Tourism: Experiences That Make a Difference. Londra: CABI.
33. Wolf, I. D. Ainsworth, G. B. ve Crowley, J. (2017). Transformative Travel as a Sustainable Market Niche for Protected Areas: A New Development, Marketing and Conservation Model, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 25 (11): 1650-1673.
34. Zaman, M. (2008). Fırtına Deresi Havzası ve Kaçkar Dağları Milli Parkı’nın Alternatif Turizm Açısından Önemi, Atatürk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 12(2): 1-33.