Tokat İlindeki Astro Turizm Potansiyelinin SWOT Analizi ile Değerlendirilmesi

This study aims to evaluate the astro tourism potential of Tokat province using the SWOT analysis method, identifying the region’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential threats. Astro tourism is a type of tourism that allows for sky observation in areas with low light pollution, supported by natural and historical elements. With increasing global interest, astro tourism is considered both as a part of sustainable tourism and as a sector that can contribute to rural development. Tokat stands out as a suitable destination for astro tourism due to its high-altitude areas with low light pollution, such as Dumanlı ve Akbelen plateau. The SWOT analysis conducted in this study revealed that Tokat has strong attributes, including low light pollution, high-altitude observation areas, and rich natural beauty. However, weaknesses such as insufficient tourism infrastructure, lack of promotion, and the impact of seasonal weather conditions on observation were identified. Opportunities include the potential to integrate astro tourism with scientific events and ecotourism, the growing global trend of astro tourism, and academic collaborations. Nevertheless, threats such as climate change, lack of investment, and limited tourist mobility pose challenges for the development of astro tourism in Tokat. This study is expected to contribute to strategic planning efforts aimed at diversifying Tokat’s tourism sector.