Sustainable Management of Rural Architectural Heritage Through Rural Tourism: Iznik (Turkey) Case Study

Architectural heritage structures stand out as important local elements in rural tourism activities carried out in rural areas to observe and experience natural and cultural values, local activities, and rural life culture. The protection and reuse of architectural heritage in rural development promotes environmental sustainability and economic development while raising the living standards of local people. In this context, the protection and use of architectural heritage is an important tool for sustainable rural development in the future. This study is an example of efforts to develop rural areas with tourism using rural architectural heritage values and aims to emphasize the architectural importance of rural architectural heritage and to reveal management studies to be carried out for the use of these heritage values in rural tourism. The rural area of Iznik was selected as the study area due to its natural, historical, and cultural values, rural architectural heritage elements, and rural tourism potential. According to the field studies and interviews with stakeholders, sustainable management approaches and action proposals were created for the integration of rural architectural heritage with rural tourism and rural development.