Reflections on visitors' experiences of the beekeeping museum: an analysis of the guestbook notes

Abstract

The number of alternative tourism types that appeal to niche markets is increasing daily in response to the changing demands and expectations of tourists. Apitourism, which is a blend of nature and culture, has attracted attention and has become an important niche tourism market in recent years. In this study, the tourists’ experiences of visiting the beekeeping museum, which is an attraction within the scope of apitourism, were examined. The notes written in the museum’s visitor book, and the observations made to support the notes, enabled the visitors’ experiences to be classified into 32 codes and six themes. The resulting themes, such as shedding light on the past, experiencing intense emotions, information and awareness, being a recreational activity, features of the museum, and staff. As a result of the study, some suggestions have been put forward for researchers and apitourism stakeholders.