Evaluation of Türkiye's glacier tourism potential with multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques

Abstract

Glacier tourism, a recent trend, has been successfully applied in many glacial areas. Although Türkiye has significant potential regarding these resources, it is still unfamiliar with 'glacier tourism'. The current study evaluates the glacier tourism potential of 12 regions that correspond to the current glacial areas of Türkiye using CRITIC-ARAS-WASPAS techniques. For this purpose, 18 criteria obtained from the literature were analysed with the help of an expert panel and various secondary data. According to the findings, the regions with the most significant potential for glacier tourism development in Türkiye are Rize, Mersin, Hakkari, Artvin, Kayseri, and Niğde. Various suggestions were presented to the stakeholders for the development and expansion of glacier tourism in these regions. The study and the proposed methodology are expected to make theoretical contributions to the literature as they focus on a topic that has not been addressed before in Türkiye. The findings are also anticipated to provide practical knowledge and awareness to local stakeholders in the glacier areas.