Abstract:
The use and utilization areas of geographic
information system(GIS) increase every day due to both
enabling easiness in storing, updating, grouping, analyzing,
correlating, and mapping of data about evaluation
factors in planning studies and having quite low
error margin depending on the accuracy of data stored.
In fact, GIS is also used both in visualization and in
various analyses in planning tourism terrains. In this
study, the effectiveness of GIS on holistic evaluation
of natural and cultural resources in planning tourism
terrains was analyzed. Natural and cultural resources in
Kayseri Yahyalı were quantified by using ArcGIS 9.3
software from GIS software; data were analyzed and
potential tourism and recreation terrains, level of suitability,
and rate of coveragewere determined. As a result
of the analyses, it was determined that 11.847 ha area
(6,53 %) was quite suitable for such kind of activities,
103.010 ha (56,77%) was suitable, 39.278 ha (21,65%)
was less suitable, and 27.314 ha area (15,05 %) was not
suitable. In the next stage, landscape properties which
are suitable for tourism and recreation were evaluated
and landscape types were classified in the sense of their
tourist attraction. It was determined that the water resources
and valley landscapes were the basic sources of
the tourism and recreation activities of Yahyalı, and it
was determined that the landscape of the forest and
mountain was important for variety of the tourism and
recreation activities of Yahyalı.