Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Botan Valley National Park

Abstract

The research aims to provide a framework for creating strategic plans that will support increasing local cooperation by revealing perspectives on creating a sustainable national park management system and revitalizing the development of recreational activities in Botan Valley National Park (BVNP). A thematic analysis approachgrounded in qualitative researchwas employed for this goal. The maximum variation sampling method was used to conduct thematic analysis on data collected from 72 participants from 8 stakeholders. In the studythe features that the participants attributed to the concept of a national park were presented in a frameworkdivided into 5 themes. The benefits that visitors derive from national parks have been conceptualized as three aggregate dimensions: individualsocialand regional. Participant evaluations about leaving a national park as a heritage to future generations have been presented to the literature in 5 dimensionsbased on the concept of value co-creation and its dimensionsadapted to the field of tourism/recreation. In the theoretical frameworkthe research offers suggestions from various angles for the establishment of a management system for national parkswhile in terms of practical contributionconcrete data for the development of the national park and the development of recreational activities are presented.