Perceptions of the environmental impacts of tourism: A comparative study of the attitudes of German, Russian and Turkish tourists in Kemer, Antalya

Abstract

This paper investigates perceptions of the environmental impacts of tourism in an area of mass tourism, Kemer, Antalya, in Turkey. The perceptions and behaviour of sun- and sea-seeking tourists of three different nationalities are evaluated: German, Russian and Turkish. Their willingness to pay and attitudes towards the bodies responsible for protecting the environment are also assessed. The research uses a questionnaire which was translated into three languages (German, Russian and Turkish) and was applied to a total of 460 tourists. The results confirmed that differences in 'environmental awareness' were more strongly associated with differences in nationality, than with educational levels and occupations. Above all, German tourists were more 'environmentally aware' than Russian and Turkish tourists. There were also national differences in tourists' 'willingness to pay' for environmental measures. The results pose important issues for tourism policy in respect of market segmentation and environmental outcomes. Keywords: NationalitiesTourist PerceptionsEnvironmentTurkey