Tourism Potential of Agricultural Areas; The Case Study of Tea (Camellia sinensis) Gardens in Rize

The activities of agricultural landscapes in Turkey are quite diverse and cover large areas. Agricultural product type diversity is considerably high in the country thanks to global geographic position, which is characterized as a temperate transition zone on Northern hemisphere. One of the most important of these cultural landscapes is the area of Eastern Black Sea mainly Rize that is famous for tea cultivation. Tea is a plant that provides economical profits for the region, as well as being an important agricultural element that reflecting traditional culture and creates visual beauties. The socio-economic prosperity achieved through tea cultivation suggests that existing tea gardens in the region can also be used for eco-tourism or agro tourism purposes. The aim of this study was to determine the agricultural tourism potential of the tea plantations in the Rize city. For this purpose, a questionnaire consists of 17 questions was prepared and applied to 100 respondents who are mainly tea farmers of the region. The results revealed important findings regarding tourism activities in the region such as hiking inside the tea gardens, participating to harvesting practice and short staying in the area. Various recommendations for agricultural tourism suggested for tea gardens which are very aesthetic, cultural, natural and therapeutic. These suggestions were made according to usage and protection principals by considering long term sustainability of the region.