Research Information System
Review of Tourism Administration Journal, vol.6, no.2, pp.273-283, 2025 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
This study aims to evaluate the tangible and intangible cultural heritage elements of Van province within the framework of a creative tourism approach. The research was conducted around the four core elements of creative tourism: active participation and experience, learning and creative self-expression, authentic and participatory experience, and local community and hospitable hosts. In this study, conducted using a qualitative research method, document analysis and descriptive content analysis techniques were utilized; and Van's cultural, artistic, and gastronomic values were examined within the framework of these themes. The findings indicate that Van has high potential for creative tourism due to its traditional architecture, handicrafts, musical culture, and unique gastronomic products. Tangible heritage elements such as traditional Van houses, Akdamar Church, Şamran Canal, and carpet and filigree craftsmanship, as well as intangible heritage elements like the Van breakfast, herb cheese, Reşik shoemaking, and the Dengbêjlik tradition, stand out as elements that can enable tourists to participate in the production process and experience authentic experiences. The study concluded that Van has the potential to contribute to sustainable development through creative tourism, but this potential can only be realized by increasing local participation, protecting authentic values, and supporting collaborative production-based tourism models.