TURİZM İŞLETME BELGELİ KONAKLAMA İŞLETMELERİNİN SÜRDÜRÜLEBİLİR TURİZM YAKLAŞIMLARININ ÇEVRESEL BOYUTU: OTEL WEB SİTELERİ ÜZERİNE BİR İNCELEME
THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSION OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM APPROACHES IN ACCOMMODATION ESTABLISHMENTS WITH TOURISM BUSINESS LICENSES: A STUDY OF HOTEL WEBSITES

Summary/Abstract: This study aims to examine the visibility of environmental sustainability elements on the websites of five-star accommodation businesses located in the Eastern Black Sea Region that hold a Stage 3 Sustainable Tourism Certificate within the framework of the Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Industry Criteria (TR-I). The D group environmental impact criteria of the TR-I Accommodation Facilities Criteria were used as the analytical framework. Accordingly, 16 sub-criteria under D1 Resource Conservation, D2 Pollution Reduction, and D3 Conservation of Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Landscapes were examined through sustainability policies and sustainability reports available on the official websites of the hotels included in the study. A qualitative research approach was adopted, and website documents were examined through content analysis. The study group consisted of nine five-star accommodation businesses in Giresun, Ordu, Rize and Trabzon. The findings indicate that resource conservation elements are more visible on the examined websites; water saving and biodiversity conservation appear in all nine hotels. In contrast, some criteria, including transportation, invasive species, visits to natural areas and wildlife interactions, are not sufficiently visible. The study therefore emphasizes the need to evaluate not only the implementation of sustainability practices but also the extent to which these practices are communicated through digital channels.

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