5th International Thematic Monograph – Modern Management Tools and Economy of Tourism Sector in Present Era

OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES AND CITIZEN’S VIEWPOINT OF ECOTOURISM IN AZERBAIJAN: CASE STUDY OF SHAHDAG NATIONAL PARK

Ibrahim Asadov –   Budapest Business School – University of Applied Sciences, H- 1054 Budapest, Alkotmány utca 9-11, Hungary
Éva Erdélyi-   Budapest Business School – University of Applied Sciences, H- 1054 Budapest, Alkotmány utca 9-11, Hungary
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DOI:   ​​https://doi.org/10.31410/tmt.2020.167
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Abstract:   Growing dissatisfaction with mass tourism, ecotourism had become a major tool for achieving conservation and sustainable development goals by many developing countries by the mid. 1980s. Today, it is a major source of income for many developing countries across the world with being less destructive in the usage of natural resources than alternative economic sectors such as agriculture and logging. This study is concentrated on investigating and researching ecotourism within the context of national parks,  more precisely within Shahdag National Park (SNP) of Azerbaijan. This study aims to find the existing gaps, disadvantages and challenges in the ecotourism system of SNP, identify the opinion and level of education of people of Azerbaijan about ecotourism and sustainability in general. To identify these, data were collected, and both quantitative and qualitative methods were implemented. Primary research included a questionnaire survey and interview. As the main result, it can be concluded that Shahdag National Park of Azerbaijan has immense ecotourism potential but this potential is not utilized to its fullest capacity.

Keywords:   Azerbaijan, Ecotourism, Protected area, Shahdag National Park.

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