Abstract
Erzurum is the biggest city in the Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey. The city has gained great importance in winter tourism during recent years. Accessing to the sustainable winter city requires an innovative approach to these cities' problems in order to enhance the advantages, opportunities, and beauty of the winter season. Winter tourism is one of the good examples that provides benefits to the residents and reinforces the community's ability to attract new business. In this chapter, the conceptual framework of the topic is drawn by putting forth the concept of winter city tourism. Subsequently, EU tourism policy, its political framework, and priorities are summarised. In the next chapter, Erzurum is examined to demonstrate its potential for winter city tourism. Finally, the winter city tourism potential of Erzurum is evaluated by SWOT analysis and brought some suggestions compatible with EU Tourism Policies at five categories such as preserving solar access, designing streets, planting, parks and open spaces, colour, materials and lighting.
TopConceptual Framework
In this chapter, to draw a conceptual framework, firstly the concepts of winter tourism will be defined then winter city and liveability concepts will be explained.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Liveability: Is an ensemble concept which includes stainability, quality of life, the character of place, and the health of communities.
Winter City: Is a concept for communities in northern latitudes with the long winter season, snowy, very cold weather, and harsh climatic conditions that encourage them to plan their transportation systems, buildings, and recreation project around the idea of using their infrastructure during all four seasons.
Winter City Movement: The purpose of this movement is to establish the needs of the people who live in the areas with high snowy and cold weather, by improving the comfort of lifestyles and recognizing human needs in order to plan and design better.
Winter Tourism: Could be defined an integrated tourism products and services including winter sports, such as ski, ice-skating, snowboard, curling etc., visiting the winter tourism destinations to watch national and international sport competitions and to use snow-independent products and services such as SPA, sauna or Turkish bath facilities in the coldest season of the year, between autumn and spring.