Alanya Tersanesi’nde Otantik Turizm Deneyimi: TripAdvisor Yorumlarının Tematik Analizi (Authentic Tourism Experience at the Alanya Shipyard: A Thematic Analysis of TripAdvisor Reviews)

Gökhan KENAR

doi:10.63556/jotags.2026.1902

Authors

Gökhan KENAR

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63556/jotags.2026.1902

Keywords:

Authenticity, Alanya shipyard, Thematic analysis, TripAdvisor, Tourism

Abstract

Alanya Shipyard, an important maritime heritage site that has survived from the Seljuk period to the present day, attracts attention in terms of authentic tourism experiences. The aim of this study is to examine the capacity of Alanya Shipyard to generate authentic tourism experiences by analyzing online visitor reviews within the framework of Wang’s (1999) authenticity approach. A qualitative research design was adopted, and 564 visitor reviews published on TripAdvisor between July 2011 and December 2025 were analyzed using a theory-driven thematic analysis. The findings were categorized into three main dimensions of authenticity: objective, constructive, and existential authenticity. Objective authenticity encompasses historical and architectural values as well as shipbuilding and maritime elements; constructive authenticity includes visitor experiences together with location and accessibility characteristics; and existential authenticity covers scenery, atmosphere, and the physical environment. In addition, under the theme of evaluations and recommendations, visitor satisfaction, price–performance perceptions, intention to recommend, accessibility challenges, and safety perceptions were identified. The study reveals that Alanya Shipyard is an important cultural heritage area offering authentic experiences and provides both theoretical and practical contributions to the literature.

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