Research Article

Evaluation of Side Ancient City within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria

Volume: 8 August 12, 2026

Evaluation of Side Ancient City within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria

Abstract

The need for production, driven by the rapid increase in consumption alongside the growth of the human population, has led to problems such as depletion of natural resources and environmental pollution. Sustainable tourism practices that respect the natural and cultural heritage of tourism destinations and foster a sense of protection while using these practices are of critical importance. This study aims to evaluate the ancient city of Side within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria. The ancient city of Side differs from other ancient cities in that it is a living city and demonstrates the originality of this article. The study was conducted using a qualitative method based on the interpretivist paradigm. The data were collected from 8 participants through a semi-structured interview. To examine Side within a living-heritage governance context, we adopted a qualitative single-instrumental case study grounded in the interpretivist paradigm (Merriam, 2018). This design enables an in-depth, multi-stakeholder understanding of sustainability criteria in practice. We used purposive (judgmental) sampling to capture diverse perspectives across stakeholder groups: archaeologists, museum professionals, local entrepreneurs/tradespeople, tourist guides, and foreign tourists. The final sample comprised eight participants. According to the research findings, the ancient city of Side is lacking in many respects when evaluated against sustainable tourism criteria. In light of this research's findings, the ancient city of Side is lacking in many respects when evaluated against sustainable tourism criteria. The ancient city of Side will become more sustainable through the “Heritage for the Future” project of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, which was ongoing at the time of the research.

Keywords

Sustainable Tourism, Sustainability, Side Ancient City, Ancient Cities.

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

1

Ethical Statement

This is to certify that the study titled “Evaluation of the Ancient City of Side within the Scope of Sustainable Tourism Criteria”, conducted under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Engin Derman and carried out by researcher Pelin Uzun, has been reviewed by the relevant ethical committee. It has been unanimously decided that the research is ethically appropriate to be implemented during the project process. The applicant assumes full responsibility for the methodology, scale, and all issues regarding intellectual property rights and copyrights.

Thanks

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my family for their constant support and encouragement throughout the preparation of this study. I am also deeply thankful to my esteemed supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Engin Derman, for his valuable guidance, insightful feedback, and unwavering support, which have greatly contributed to the completion and quality of this research.

References

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APA
Uzun Şirin, P., & Derman, E. (2026). Evaluation of Side Ancient City within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria. Journal of Tourism Leisure and Hospitality, 8. https://doi.org/10.48119/toleho.1794203
AMA
1.Uzun Şirin P, Derman E. Evaluation of Side Ancient City within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria. TOLEHO. 2026;8. doi:10.48119/toleho.1794203
Chicago
Uzun Şirin, Pelin, and Engin Derman. 2026. “Evaluation of Side Ancient City Within the Scope of Sustainable Tourism Criteria”. Journal of Tourism Leisure and Hospitality 8 (August). https://doi.org/10.48119/toleho.1794203.
EndNote
Uzun Şirin P, Derman E (August 1, 2026) Evaluation of Side Ancient City within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria. Journal of Tourism Leisure and Hospitality 8
IEEE
[1]P. Uzun Şirin and E. Derman, “Evaluation of Side Ancient City within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria”, TOLEHO, vol. 8, Aug. 2026, doi: 10.48119/toleho.1794203.
ISNAD
Uzun Şirin, Pelin - Derman, Engin. “Evaluation of Side Ancient City Within the Scope of Sustainable Tourism Criteria”. Journal of Tourism Leisure and Hospitality 8 (August 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.48119/toleho.1794203.
JAMA
1.Uzun Şirin P, Derman E. Evaluation of Side Ancient City within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria. TOLEHO. 2026;8. doi:10.48119/toleho.1794203.
MLA
Uzun Şirin, Pelin, and Engin Derman. “Evaluation of Side Ancient City Within the Scope of Sustainable Tourism Criteria”. Journal of Tourism Leisure and Hospitality, vol. 8, Aug. 2026, doi:10.48119/toleho.1794203.
Vancouver
1.Pelin Uzun Şirin, Engin Derman. Evaluation of Side Ancient City within the scope of sustainable tourism criteria. TOLEHO. 2026 Aug. 1;8. doi:10.48119/toleho.1794203