Literary Tourism Experiences at Mehmet Akif Ersoy House Museum: Nostalgia, Authenticity, and Visitor Connections
Öz
Purpose: This qualitative study explores literary tourism experiences in a non-Western context, focusing on visitor motivations, expectations, and emotional connections at the Mehmet Akif Ersoy House Museum (also known as Taceddin Dergâhı) in Türkiye—a writer's house where the Turkish National Anthem was composed. The aim is to understand how elements like nostalgia and authenticity shape visitor experiences, providing practical recommendations to develop Türkiye's underexplored literary tourism potential.
Method: The research employed Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and thematic analysis on semi-structured interviews with 10 literary tourists. Participants were selected via purposive and snowball sampling, with interviews conducted face-to-face and by phone. Data were coded and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis approach.
Findings: Key themes include nostalgia-driven escapism, authenticity, pre-visit research behaviors, and factors enhancing or hindering immersion (e.g., aesthetic shortcomings and poor organization). While the museum builds emotional bonds and cultural heritage awareness, limited pre-visit preparation and presentation gaps often lead to unmet expectations. Visitors form emotional connections through authentic artifacts, but aesthetic and organizational issues prevent some from connecting.
Implications: The study highlights the role of nostalgia and authenticity in shaping experiences at writers' houses, offering recommendations for museum management, digital enhancements, and policies to boost literary tourism in Türkiye, which would contribute to cultural heritage preservation and tourism diversification.
Originality: The work adds to the literature by examining literary tourism in non-Western contexts, innovatively addressing nostalgia and authenticity in emotional connections at a Turkish writer's house.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Authenticity, literary tourism, Mehmet Akif Ersoy Museum, nostalgia, visitor experiences
Etik Beyan
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Atılım University (Approval No: 122641, 14.10.2025).
Kaynakça
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