Effects of Participation on Place Attachment in Diaspora Tourism of Circassians Living in Turkey

Abstract

This study was conducted for a doctoral dissertation in the Social Sciences Institute’s Department of Tourism Management, under the title “Determining the Effects on Place Attachment of Circassians Living in Turkey Through Involvement in Diaspora Tourism.” Because few studies have been conducted on the involvement of exiled people in diaspora tourism, we found it essential to perform research in this field. Studies on migration and tourism provide a basic foundation in understanding what motivates individuals and people to participate in diaspora tourism. Because this is a topic so complex, we believe that it would be inadequate to only examine it from within the boundaries of tourism literature. An interdisciplinary endeavor is needed to understand the effects and outcomes of participating in this phenomenon based on individuals’ family immigration histories, place attachments, and distinct cultural identities. That is why this study attempted to extensively examine the cultural identities of Circassians living in Turkey and reveal the effects that place attachment to their ancestral homeland had on those who participated in diaspora tourism.