Examining the Impacts of Tourism on Gumushane Residents According to the Doxey Index

Tourism is a versatile activity that can have both positive and negative impacts on touristic destinations and local people. Reducing thenegative impacts of tourism on touristic destinations depends on the development of a planned tourism. Accordingly, it is primarilyrequired to determine the level of present tourism activities in destinations in order to achieve the planned tourism development.In this context, the ‘Doxey Irritation Index’, presented by Doxey (1975) based on the stages of euphoria, apathy, irritation andantagonism, is an important guide in determining the level of tourism development in destinations. In this direction, the purpose ofthis study is to determine the stage of Gumushane in terms of tourism development level according to the “Doxey Irritation Index”by revealing the opinions of Gumushane residents about Gumushane tourism. Accordingly, the opinions of Gumushane residentsabout tourism were consulted via face-to-face interviews. As a consequence, it was determined that tourism in Gumushane wasat the stage of euphoria (beginning) according to the “Doxey Irritation Index”. Besides, the vast majority of Gumushane residentsstated that tourism would not have negative social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts on Gumushane.