Relationship between Geography-Tourism and Tourism's Effects According to High School Students

Abstract

This research was designed in the screening model to determine the opinions of high school studentson tourism effects and geography-tourism relations. The data were gathered from 760 students whowere educated in high schools in the central district of Kütahya, identified by cluster sampling method.The data were collected with the help of a scale developed by the researchers. This process benefitedfrom the studies carried out in the related literature. According to findings, high school students'opinions on the social and cultural effects of tourism are positive. It was observed that the students donot have a clear view of the environmental effects of tourism, and remain at a level of indecision.According to the students, tourism is an important tool in promoting the country and Turkey is acountry rich in natural and cultural tourism values. However, students were not sure whether Turkeycan use its full potential and whether it introduces enough tourism opportunities at home and abroad. Itwas seen that the students can relate geography and tourism. The students emphasized the importanceof geography in preserving the natural and cultural environment and in tourism education. In thiscontext, they stated that it is necessary to arrange visits to tourist areas in geography lessons. When thesignificant differences in the view of students on tourism effects and their views on geography-tourismrelation were examined, it was observed that female students have more positive views than malestudents, that students in 12th grade have more positive views than students in 9th, 10th, and 11thgrades, that the students in the academic high schools have more positive views than the students in theskill set related to high schools and in the vocational high schools.