Effectiveness of Usage of Digital Heritage in the Sustainability of Cultural Tourism on Islands: The Case of Northern Cyprus

Abstract

In Northern Cyprus, where there is a great potential for cultural tourism, transforming cultural heritage into digital heritage and preserving it, and making it sustainable by conveying it to future generations, are of great importance for the economic development of the island. For the said transformation to be carried out more sustainably and to contribute to cultural tourism, both the knowledge and opinions of those working in the field of tourism and the expectations of the tourists visiting the island are important. In this context, data were collected from both sides through the questions prepared by the researchers. In the collection of data, a semi-structured interview form consisting of nine open-ended questions for tourism professionals and seven open-ended questions for tourists visiting the island was used, four of which were common. The opinions of two experts were taken in the preparation of the interview form, which was created using the existing literature. In the analysis of the obtained data, descriptive analysis was used, while descriptive statistics were employed to quantify the collected data. Based on the research findings, it was concluded that there are important deficiencies in terms of technology, internet, and management when transferring cultural elements to digital media in Northern Cyprus and that the technological infrastructure should be developed first. In addition to the development of technology, organization, planning, and forming legal regulations at the ministerial level is also important. It was also determined in the study that tourists did not want to start and finish their touristic activities in the digital environment in a general sense.

1. Introduction

The island of Cyprus is one of the significant tourism destinations in the Mediterranean Sea. The island, which has hosted various civilizations for centuries due to its geopolitical location, has a rich history and cultural heritage. The capital of the island, Nicosia, has been a center for different nations and has carried this heritage to date [1].

When the income sources of Northern Cyprus are examined, it can be seen that universities and tourism are at the top of the list [2,3]. Other important sources of income in Northern Cyprus include commerce, agriculture, and animal farming. In Northern Cyprus, which had a population of 286,257 according to 2011 data, there were 89,681 foreign students studying in 22 different universities in the 2020–2021 academic year. The number of students studying in higher education in Northern Cyprus corresponds to 25% of the country’s population, and its indirect contribution to the economy is around 32% [4]. These students are individuals who stay on the island for a long time (minimum 4 years) and turn to their homeland afterwards. In addition, tourists, particularly Turkish, British, and German tourists, who visit the island for a short term, are an important source of income for the country [5,6].

The Kyrenia and Iskele regions of the island are an attraction center where top-level and luxury hotels are located, and they are in high demand from tourists. In addition, smaller size and boutique hotels are active in tourism in the capital city of Nicosia and in the regions of Karpasia and Lefke, which stand out with their natural beauties [7,8]. In this regard, tourism activities are carried out in all regions of the island, and tourism greatly contributes to the country’s economy. The majority of tourists visiting the island are generally interested in 5-star hotels (sea and sun) [9] and casinos (gambling tourism), while a certain portion of tourists who are middle-aged and older prefer the nature and culture of the island. The number of regions that are active in the context of Cittaslow is increasing with every passing day, and interest in eco-tourism and cultural tourism is also increasing [10,11,12]. However, despite all these positive developments, the fact that the government has no plans, the local people lack knowledge in this regard, promotion abroad is far from being sufficient, and there is a lack of academic support for what should be prioritized culturally result in an inability to reach the desired targets for both tourism in general and cultural tourism in particular.

In addition to sea, sand, sun, and 5-star hotel tourism, the effective use of cultural tourism and creative tourism [13] in a small island country such as Northern Cyprus will multiply the revenue and advantages to be obtained from tourism. It can be claimed that Northern Cyprus has a suitable structure in terms of both cultural tourism and creative tourism as well as eco-tourism [14,15,16].

On the other hand, as the most popular way of reaching the island is the airway; the flow of tourists from the land (from the south side of the island) is lower compared to continental countries. Therefore, potential visitors who are curious about the cultural heritage, nature, art, etc., of the island can decide whether to visit the island first by conducting an online search. Therefore, in order for the cultural heritage of the country to be marketed, and to make cultural tourism sustainable, it is important to digitize this heritage so that it can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

Digital heritage is composed of computer-based materials with a lasting value that should be preserved for future generations [17]. In fact, while the digitization of cultural heritage ensures the preservation of original documents and materials, it enables equal access to this heritage by everyone [18,19,20]. Digitization prevents especially rare written works, pictures, video–audio recordings and documents from abrasion and being lost, and also makes an important contribution to cultural tourism by enabling visitors to access these materials at any time and place. Moreover, the digital transference of works of art displayed in public and private museums to virtual museums serves everyone in terms of access, rather than just preserving the works, and encourages tourists to come to the island to see the original work of art. In addition, the transfer of historical structures situated on the island (mosques, churches, cathedrals, ruins, castles, shrines, lodges, fountains, etc.) to a digital environment in 3D form [21,22] (virtual reality–digital reality) will enable the preservation of cultural elements, their online accessibility, and their visibility at a low cost, and will attract tourists to the island and make cultural heritage tourism sustainable. “Digitization makes it easy for the potential guests to access information in choosing destination and product” [23]. Nevertheless, just seeing cultural heritage is not enough for tourists. This is because contemporary tourists also want to experience heritage in the context of creative tourism [24]. The creative tourism mentioned here “is the type of tourism that provides the visitors with the opportunity to develop their creative potentials through active participation in courses and learning experiences which are a characteristic of the holiday destination they are visiting” [25]. Experiencing the intangible cultural heritage of the country, such as cuisine, music, social life, etc., which are digitized and can be seen over the Internet to ensure the preservation and sustainability of cultural tourism, is a preference for many tourists.

Transforming the cultural heritage of the country, such as historical works and structures, music, literary works, food culture, and museums, into digital heritage, and opening it to the whole world is very important in terms of the marketing of cultural elements in the relevant field. Particularly, if this aims to contribute to the sustainability of cultural tourism in small island countries, elements of digital heritage should be increased, and to sustain tourism in a healthy way, official (ministries of state, departments) and civilian managers (tourism agencies), and employees (guides) should be consulted, and plans should be made accordingly. In addition, the opinions and expectations of the tourists who visit the island should be considered. It is evident that studies carried out considering the expectations of tourists in this regard will yield better results.

The study aimed to reveal the knowledge and opinions of individuals working in tourism sector in Northern Cyprus regarding the transformation of cultural elements into digital heritage and its contribution to cultural tourism, as well as the expectations of tourists visiting the island in this regard, and to contribute to a conscious transference of cultural elements in Northern Cyprus to a digital environment and the sustainability of cultural tourism on the island. In line with this purpose, to ensure consistency in the questions prepared by the researchers, the opinions of two experts, one of whom was from the field of folklore and the other from the tourism field, were recorded.

In recent years, considerable studies have been conducted, especially in the developed countries of the world, to improve tourism, but a significant deficiency exists in Northern Cyprus in this regard. Academic studies carried out on this issue are very few, and the number of cultural elements transferred to a digital environment is far from sufficient in Northern Cyprus. This situation also negatively affects the development of tourism on the island. It is believed that the present study will raise awareness of the transference of cultural elements to a digital environment and the sustainability of cultural tourism in Northern Cyprus, as well as leading further studies to be conducted on this matter. It is also thought that, with the transformation of cultural elements into cultural heritage in countries such as Northern Cyprus, cultural tourism, which is fatally important for the economy of the island, will be positively affected.

2. Literature Review

A literature review was made on the effectiveness of usage of digital heritage in the sustainability of cultural tourism on islands, and various studies have been conducted on this issue. Some of the studies are discussed below in the context of their proximity to the present study.

It is known that, all over the world, tourism agencies aim attract the attention of tourists by reinforcing their discourses with photographs in their marketing efforts, and thus increasing tourists’ motivation to travel. Attracting tourists’ attention in the preservation, promotion, and marketing of cultural elements belonging to countries, and increasing tourists’ motivation to travel, are highly important in terms of sustainable cultural tourism. In the literature review, it was observed that a photograph, video, or any other visual increased tourists’ travel motivation [26]. Visual image has always been important for tourists in terms of their travel motivation [27]. Technological developments strengthen the interaction between tourism providers and consumers [28]. In today’s world, tourists are able to watch videos of the destination they want to visit, or the cultural elements of the country are transferred to a digital environment thanks to various technological devices, such as laptops, television, tablets, or mobile phones. This situation is highly effective in terms of the preservation of countries’ cultural elements and the sustainability of cultural tourism, which has gained importance. It is thought that virtual reality technology, which has been widespread in recent years, along with the further development of technology, will play a significant role in the preservation, promotion, and marketing of tourism products [29].

To provide an example, in the study conducted by Little et al. [30], focus was placed on the use of innovative heritage preservation methods that can be used to improve tourists’ experiences in heritage areas. The study provides a detailed analysis of how the latest technology 3D scanning and modelling can be used to assist the virtual presentation of heritage. In the study, the Charleville WWII Airbase Bombsight Vault was scanned as a pilot study to test scanning methods and, in the final processing phase, the multiple datasets obtained from different scanners were transferred to a determined 3D scanning software (I-Site Forensic). An important contribution of this study is that it provided lessons for scientists and practitioners who considered applying enhanced methods for the preservation of heritage and unforgettable tourist experiences.

In their study, Lin et al. [31] chose eight main structures as a digital guide to the ancient architecture of Nanhua Shrine in order to analyze and examine them, and completed a 3D modelling, tour, and virtual navigation design, which provided visitors with a good visual experience and cultural impact. According to the results obtained in that study, the use of digitization to create an ancient architectural navigation can play a better role in encouraging tourism scenery.

In his study, Dulgaroğlu [32] discussed smart tourism applications, digital tourism, and the concept of Tourism 4.0, which are important elements of digitization in tourism. The study aimed to contribute to the literature by mentioning the impact of the developments and digitization on the tourism sector. According to the research, destination managers can increase the touristic attraction of their destinations, by making use of the technological abilities that digitization in tourism has brought about, such as virtual reality and game software, in the promotion of their destinations.

In his study, Pencarelli [33] states that the digital revolution, Internet of Things, Web 4.0, and I4.0 paradigm have radically changed the language and concepts adopted in the tourism and travel industry. In addition, in the study, it was stated that tourism 4.0 has become widespread, that everything has become smart, and that, as a result, there have been talks about smart tourists, smart cities, smart destinations, smart glasses, smart cards, smart cars, smart ecosystems, etc.

In their study, Bramantyo and Ismail [34] aimed to reveal digital tourism through virtual tours in the national Museum of Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic period and, in accordance with this aim, they used Everett M. Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations theory. In the study, a case study method, with a qualitative approach and structuralism paradigm, was employed. According to the results obtained in the study, virtual museum tours were shown to be a way for the National Museum of Indonesia to access people and provide them with museum services to maintain public interest and encourage museums visits during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

In their study, Li and Hunter [35] aimed to investigate why and how community stakeholders could be involved in ensuring sustainability in heritage tourism operations, and, to this end, they emphasized the difficulties encountered by heritage tourism operators. In the study methodology, a conceptual model and three propositions were created, based on stakeholder theory and social capital perspective.

The study conducted by Murzyn-Kupisz [36] aimed to analyze the relationship between heritage and tourism in the context of sustainable development by considering the various potential effects of cultural heritage on socio-economic development processes. The conditions and factors that make heritage tourism beneficial to the local community in social and economic terms, the preservation status of cultural heritage, and the necessity of preserving it for future generations were investigated.

In the 4th section of his study, Chhabra [37] discussed information and communication technology and the digitization of heritage tourism, and presented a discourse regarding how originality is mediated and confirmed in digital areas. He concluded this section of the study with negotiations regarding inspiring and sustainable innovative examples and possibilities to ensure that culture and heritage institutions can keep their followers digitally busy in their homes.

When these studies were examined as a whole, it was determined that transformation into the digital is increasing each day in various countries in the world, and that a large amount of cultural heritage has been transferred to the digital environment. In addition, it was seen that different projects and applications have been developed for the sustainability of cultural heritage, but that there is still work to do in this regard. In the accessed resources, it was observed that studies on the effectiveness of the use of digital heritage in the sustainability of cultural tourism in Northern Cyprus were very few. Therefore, it was determined that the number of studies in this field in Northern Cyprus should be increased.

3. Methods

3.1. Research Model

In the study, a phenomenological design, which is a qualitative research design, was used. Phenomenological design focuses on phenomena of which we are aware, but for which we lack detailed knowledge. Phenomena occur in different forms, such as experiences, perceptions, tendencies, concepts, and cases. In phenomenological research, data sources are individuals or groups who experience the phenomenon on which the research focuses, and who can express or reflect upon this phenomenon [38,39].

3.2. Study Group

The study was conducted in Northern Cyprus. Northern Cyprus is situated on an island, which is one of the important touristic destinations in the Mediterranean Sea and has a cultural accumulation that can be transformed into digital heritage. The study group included 30 employees who worked in different fields of tourism in Northern Cyprus and 30 tourists who came to the island for touristic purposes. In choosing the participants, criterion sampling and convenience sampling, which are among the purposive sampling methods, were used. Purposive sampling enables the in-depth study of cases that are thought to contain rich information. In this regard, purposive sampling methods are useful when exploring and explaining phenomena and cases.

While the criterion sampling method was used in the selection of tourism employees, convenience sampling was preferred in the selection of tourists. Criterion sampling is the study of cases that meet certain determined criteria. The criteria can be created by the researcher or a list of prepared criteria can be used [40]. In the present study, the criteria were determined by the researchers. The criterion determined by the researchers was working in tourism sector in a management position. Convenience sampling, on the other hand, is based on elements that are present and easily and quickly accessible [41]. In the convenience sampling method, as the researcher chooses a case that is convenient and easily accessible, the research assumes a fast and practical character [39]. In the present study, an adequate number of participants were chosen as the sample among the tourists accommodated at hotels in Northern Cyprus.

On the island of Northern Cyprus, where cultural tourism has great potential, preserving cultural heritage by transforming it into digital heritage, and making it sustainable by transferring it to future generations, are highly important in terms of economic development of the island. In the transference of cultural heritage into the digital environment and its preservation, the opinions and evaluations of both the management level of tourism and the tourists visiting the island are of great significance. Accordingly, in this article, the opinions of individuals who work in the tourism sector on the island regarding the use of digital heritage, and the expectations and opinions of tourists visiting the island in this regard, will be determined, and the effectiveness of use of digital heritage in the sustainability of cultural tourism on the island will be investigated.

3.3. Collection and Analysis of the Data

A semi-structured standard interview form was used for data collection. The form used for individuals working in the tourism sector in Northern Cyprus consisted of nine questions, while the form used for tourists included seven questions.

In addition, some preliminary introductory information about the concept of digital heritage was provided to the participants in the beginning section of the interview form. The open-ended research questions used in the research enabled the researchers to handle the researched case using a more flexible and open-ended approach and made it easier to make the research questions more detailed. To ensure the consistency of the interview questions prepared by the researchers by reviewing the literature, two expert opinions (folklore department and tourism department) were taken. Permission to collect the data was obtained from the ethics committee of the university where the researchers worked (Committee Decision Number: YDU/SB/2022/1205).

The in-depth interview technique was used for data collection. In-depth interview is a data-collection technique that covers all dimensions of the researched subject, where mostly open-ended questions are asked. This enables detailed answers and data can be collected through a face-to-face interview with the participants [42,43]. In the face-to-face interviews, the participants were asked open-ended questions, and the knowledge and opinions of the participants were obtained through interviews.

In the analysis of the obtained data, a descriptive analysis was used, while descriptive statistics were employed to quantify the data. The frequency and percentages of the research data are presented in the tables in the findings section. The purpose of descriptive analysis is to present the findings to the reader in an arranged way with interpretations. In such studies, direct quotations are frequently used to reflect the opinions of the interviewed or observed individuals [39]. In the present study, the data were processed according to a thematic framework, the research questions were determined as main themes, and the choices in the questions were identified as sub-themes. Thematic analysis is used to analyze the qualitative data that necessitate research in a dataset, in order to reveal, analyze, and report recurring patterns [44].

4. Results

In the first question, the participants were asked to write the elements that they would like to see within the scope of digital heritage. Sub-themes were created according to the responses to the first question, taken from 30 tourists and 30 tourism employees in the study group, and frequency and percentage distributions are presented in

Table 1. Elements that fall in the scope of digital heritage.

	Tourists		Tourism Employees
	F	%	F	%
Historical Buildings	21	70	24	80
Museums	14	46.6	20	66.6
Natural Beauties	10	33.3	10	33.3
Written Works	9	30	8	26.6
Libraries	9	30	8	26.6
Food Culture	2	6.6	5	16.6

Note: Some participants expressed more than one element.

.

4.1. Table Regarding Tourists and Tourism Employees

In response to question 1, which inquired about the elements that the participants wanted to see within the scope of digital heritage, tourist participants mentioned historical buildings 21 times, museums 14 times, natural beauties 10 times, written works and libraries 9 times, and the country’s food culture 2 times. In the same question, the participants were also asked to explain why they thought these elements fell within the scope of digital heritage. The response of one of the tourists who considered historical buildings as within this scope is as follows: (P1) “Historical buildings in the countries that I visit attract my attention. Therefore, when tourism is mentioned, the first thing that comes to my mind is historical buildings”. The excerpts from the responses of the tourists who wanted to see museums within the scope of digital heritage are as follows: (P4) “I have already visited some museums in the digital environment. It was a nice experience for me. That is why, when you said digital heritage, I firstly thought of museums. In my opinion, transferring important museums in the world to digital environment is important for people who attach importance to cultural tourism”. (P12) “When I visit a country, I firstly visit the museums there in order to learn about the history of that region. Therefore, a detailed transfer of museums to digital environment would be very beneficial”. One participant who wanted written works to be transferred to the digital environment expressed his/her opinion as follows: (P2) “As I continue my studies in the field of history, written works are highly important to me. Digital environments are essential for easy access to these documents”. In this statement, it was seen that the participant established a connection between his/her profession and the touristic activities s/he carried out. One of the tourist participants who considered a country’s food culture as within the scope of digital heritage expressed his/her opinion as follows: (P6) “I do touristic activities in order to taste interesting foods, and I would like to see the way certain dishes are made in digital environment before I visit a country”.

The opinions of the participants who worked in the tourism sector on the island are not very different from those of the tourists. “I think most, if not all, people, would reveal that tourism employees also mainly considered historical buildings and museums within the scope of culture heritage”. Some excerpts taken from the responses of the participants who wanted to see historical buildings and museums in the scope of digital heritage are as follows: (P40) “Museums are among the most valuable tourism elements, and museums are the first places visited by tourists when they visit a country”. (P45) “I think that along with historical buildings, many elements can be considered within the scope of digital heritage, but I believe our island is rich in terms of historical buildings; therefore, I can say that primarily these historical structures should be transferred to digital environment”. In addition, those who worked in the tourism sector considered natural beauties (33.3%), written works (26.6%), libraries (26.6%) and the food culture of the island (16.6%) as within the scope of digital heritage. Some excerpts from the responses of those who thought natural beauties and written works were within the scope of digital heritage are as follows: (P34) “I think digitizing some of the natural beauties unique to the island will increase the number of tourists coming to the island”. (P41) “Transferring written works into digital environment is greatly important for their preservation”. One of the participants who stated that the food culture of the island should be digitized (P45) expressed his/her thoughts as follows: “If we want gastronomy tourism to develop on the island, we must consider transferring our cuisine that tourist would find interesting to digital environment”, while another participant who responded in the same way (P59) suggested: “Food culture increases the motivation of a significant number of tourists, and this situation will positively affect the number of tourists visiting the island”.

As can be seen in

Table 2. Tourism areas to which digital heritage transformation will contribute.

	Tourists		Tourism Employees
	F	%	F	%
Cultural Tourism	16	53.3	19	63.3
Creative Tourism	5	16.6	4	13.3
Nature Tourism	4	13.3	3	10
Gastronomy Tourism	3	10	3	10
No contribution	2	6.6	1	3.3

, in question three, where the tourism areas to which digital heritage transformation will contribute are inquired about, a significant portion of the tourist participants (53.3%) emphasized cultural tourism. While 16.6%, 13%, and 10% of the participants thought creative tourism, nature tourism, and gastronomy tourism would be positively affected by such transformation, respectively, 6.6% believed that this transformation would not contribute to cultural tourism. One of the tourists who believed that such a transformation would contribute to cultural tourism (P17) stated: “Cultural tourism has a wide scope among the types of tourism. Cultural tourism involves both architectural structures and works of art and aims to get to know many tangible and intangible products of cultural heritage. Therefore, such transformation will be the most effective on cultural tourism”. Another participant who thought that creative tourism would be positively affected by this transformation (P11) emphasized: “Creative tourism is a sustainable type of tourism which both involves creative participation of tourists and provides them with the opportunity to improve their potential for creativity,” and expressed, “such transformation would be a source of useful information for them before they visit the country and experience the touristic activity which they desire”. One of the tourists who believed that gastronomy tourism would be affected by the transformation in question (P8) stated that transferring foods and drinks into digital environment would provide more contributions to the relevant country, and that gastronomy tourism performed to experience foods and drinks would, therefore, be positively affected by this situation.

Similarly, participants who worked in the tourism sector on the island thought that digital transformation would contribute the most to cultural tourism (63.3%). While the ratio of those who believed that digital transformation would contribute more to creative tourism was 13.3%, the ratio of those who thought this transformation would contribute more to nature and gastronomy tourism was limited to 10%. One of the participants who was employed in the tourism sector did not believe that such a transformation would contribute to tourism. One participant who thought that this transformation would contribute to cultural tourism (P46) responded as follows: “Tourism should not be thought as trips taken for holiday purposes. In contrast, tourism should be perceived as cultural activities performed in order to learn about what is not known. Therefore, cultural tourism is the most important type for me. Such transformation will also increase the demand for cultural tourism”. One of the participants who thought that gastronomy tourism would be positively affected by such a transformation (P59) expressed the following thoughts: “Gastronomy tourism is an alternative tourism type, which is in high demand in recent years. I think such transformation will provide a new momentum for gastronomy tourism on the island”. One participant who believed that this transformation would not contribute to any areas of tourism (P52) stated: “I do not think that people are fond of the transformation you are talking about; thus, I cannot say that it will positively affect tourism”.

In this question, in which the tourists were asked for their opinions on continuous access to digital heritage, in

Table 3. Tourists’ opinions on continuous access to digital heritage.

	Tourists		Tourism Employees
	F	%	F	%
There will not be any problems expereienced if the technological infrasturucture is strong.	18	60	13	43.3
The relevant government organizations must take necessary precautions especailly against the loss of cultural heritage.	8	26.6	12	40
Strong regulations to be prepared will prevent any problems to be expereinced with regard to access to digital heritage.	3	10	5	16.6
We are frequently faced with such problems in digital environments. There is no need to take extra precautions in this regard.	1	3.3	0	0

it was seen that 60% emphasized the technological infrastructure. While 26.6% of the participants expected various studies by government organizations in order for the digital heritage to not be lost, 10% stated that the regulations in this regard should be prepared carefully. A total of 3.3% of the participants reported that this loss of data is experienced in digital environments, and that is not so important. Some excerpts from the responses of the participants who emphasized the issue of technology are as follows: (P25) “Transfer of cultural heritage to digital environments and storing them in such environments necessitate to be very powerful in financial terms. If a strong infrastructure is built with high costs, I believe cultural heritage will continuously exist in digital environments”. (P14) “I think that thanks to strong infrastructure to be built by technologically competent people, loss of data can be prevented”. Another participant who wanted government organizations to take necessary precautions in this regard (P16) expressed the following: “Preserving and sustaining the cultural heritage of a country must be the essential duty of those who govern that country. I believe that especially the Ministry of Culture and Tourism should do their jobs in the best way possible, so the loss of cultural heritage elements in digital environments can be prevented”.

The participants who worked in the tourism sector in Northern Cyprus stated that the most important need when transferring cultural heritage to a digital environment and preventing it from being lost is the technological infrastructure (43.3%), which is followed by the necessity for governments to take the lead in this respect (40%). A total of 16.6% of the participants, on the other hand, indicated that loss can be prevented if strong regulations are established regarding this issue. Some excerpts from the responses of participants who stated that loss or continuous access is a problem, and who considered a strong infrastructure to be a requirement, are as follows: (P33) “Digitization is an issue directly related to technology; therefore, a strong technological infrastructure is a must for such transformation and sustain this transformation”. (P60) “If we want to prevent loss of data, we must attach importance to technology and particularly internet infrastructure”. One of the participants who thought that government organizations should take precautions in this regard (P34) stated “If necessary precautions are taken under the leadership of the ministries dealing with tourism and cultural issues, I believe such loss of digital heritage can be prevented”.

In

Table 4. Digital heritage elements that contribute the most to the sustainability of tourism.

	Tourists		Tourism Employees
	F	%	F	%
Historical buildings	26	86.6	20	66.6
Museums	21	70	19	63.3
Natural beauties	14	46.6	11	36.6
Exhibitions	8	26.6	7	23.3
Written works	7	23.3	6	20
Libraries	2	6.6	3	10
Cuisine			2	6.6
Handcrafts			2	6.6

Note: Some of the participants expressed more than one element.

, the participants were asked to write the digital heritage elements that contribute to the tourism’s sustainability. In this context, the participants indicated historical buildings 26 times, museums 21 times, written works 7 times, natural beauties 14 times, exhibitions 8 times, and libraries 2 times. Similar to the question above, historical buildings were mentioned the most. Some excerpts from the responses of the participants who considered historical buildings in this respect are as follows: (P1) “In my opinion, the most important touristic elements of countries are historical buildings. Historical buildings are of great importance in terms of learning the history of the relevant country. Therefore, I like to walk around these historical buildings in digital environment before I visit a country”. (P9) “I think historical buildings show the identity of the country. For this reason, historical buildings professionally transferred to digital environment take us to the relevant country virtually”. One of the participants who thought that museums would contribute to the sustainability of a country’s tourism (P12) stated: “Museums have an important place among the touristic elements. I remember visiting some museums in this way, especially in the pandemic period”. Some of the participants who believed that natural beauties would contribute to sustainable tourism (P20, P24) expressed interesting ideas: (P20) “There has been a great demand for natural beauties in recent years. Therefore, natural beauties are important for the sustainability of tourism. However, care should be taken so that this increase in demand would not create negative effects on the environment”. (P24) “Nature tourism and natural beauties take us away from the crowd of the city life, albeit for a short time. Transferring such elements to digital environment will bring a great convenience in terms of touristic activities to individuals in choosing the country of their destination”.

In Table 4, the participants working in the tourism sector on the island mostly believed that historical buildings (66.6%) and museums (63.3%) would contribute to the sustainability of tourism. According to tourism employees, other digital heritage elements that were believed to generally contribute to the sustainability of tourism are as follows: written works 20%, natural beauties 36.6%, exhibitions 23.3%, libraries 10%, cuisine 6.6%, and handcrafts 6.6%. Some excerpts from the responses of participants who indicated that historical buildings and museums would contribute the most to tourism’s sustainability are as follows: (P45) “Historical buildings are an important part of tourism activities both on our island and in other countries of the world. As the island of Northern Cyprus hosted many civilizations, it is very rich in this regard. Therefore, historical buildings are of utmost importance in terms of the sustainability of tourism”. (P40) “Museums, which occupy an important place among digital heritage elements, are vitally important for the sustainability of tourism. It can be seen that in countries where tourism has developed, the demand for museums is also very high. For this reason, I believe that museums should be promoted and advertised effectively for healthy and sustainable tourism”. (P43) “As museums appeal to tourists of all ages, their effective usage will positively affect the other tourism types in the country and will positively contribute to the sustainability of tourism in general”. One of the participants who thought that natural beauties would contribute to sustainable tourism (P34) stated: “Natural beauties play an important role in the development of tourism. We know that today many tourists visit a country for its natural beauties”.

4.2. Table Related to Tourists

In

Table 5. The rate of tourists taking part in touristic activities in digital environments.

	Tourists
	F	%
I Have Never Taken Part	16	53.3
I Have Taken Part Very Little	6	20
I Have Taken Part in the Pandemic Period	5	16.6
I Frequently Take Part	3	10

, the rates of tourists taking part in touristic activities are presented. As can be seen in the table, 53.3% of tourists had not taken part in touristic activities in digital environments. In addition, 20% had joined such activities to a limited extent, 16.6% only participated in touristic activities in these environments during the pandemic period, and 10% had frequently participated in such activities. The tourists who responded that they had never taken part in such activities expressed their opinions as follows: (P23) “Since such activities are new, I haven’t had the opportunity to take part in them”. (P26) “I do not think that these activities have been prepared professionally; that is why, I have not joined them yet”.

One of the tourists who joined touristic activities in digital environment in the pandemic period gave an interesting response: (P12) “I can say that we had an enjoyable time with these activities in the pandemic period when we were stuck in our homes, and that we received important information”.

One of the tourists who said that s/he frequently took part in such activities reported: “Such digital touristic activities help me a lot in terms of choosing the country I will visit every year”.

In

Table 6. The need to visit the cultural heritage elements seen in digital environment on-site.

	Tourists
	F	%
I definitely would like to see it on site.	15	50
Rarely, I would like to see the most interesting ones.	8	26.6
I definitely would not like to see it again.	4	13.3
Maybe, if the country/city attracts my attention.	3	10

, the tourists were asked whether they wanted to visit the digital heritage elements that they had seen in digital environments on-site, and interesting rates were obtained in this regard. While 50% of participating tourists definitely wanted to see the digital heritage elements they had seen in digital environments on-site, 26.6% wanted to occasionally visit the ones that were very interesting, and 13.3% indicated that they definitely would like to visit and see them on-site. A total of 10% of the participants stated that they would like to visit the country/city on-site on the condition that they were very interesting. Some of the tourists who expressed that they would definitely like to see those elements on site stated the following: (P14) “The digital heritage elements transferred to digital environment help me a lot in choosing the country I will visit”. Another participant (P25) stated: “Seeing them on site and being physically there will naturally provide a more effective experience”. One of the participants who responded that they would definitely not like to see them on-site (P10) expressed: “As the digital heritage elements which have been professionally transferred to digital environment in detail will provide adequate experience, seeing them on site again will not be very meaningful”. One of the participants who stated that s/he would visit them on-site if the country of the digital heritage element attracted his/her attention reported: “I would definitely like to see the digital heritage elements I have seen in digital environment on site, if the country which has the digital heritage elements includes many different and interesting elements. Naturally, if I am in the country, I would like to see the cultural elements that I visited in digital environment on site”.

In

Table 7. Tourists’ opinions on digital heritage elements transferred to digital environment.

	Tourists
	F	%
Digital heritage elements can be transferred to digital environment, but I would like to see them on-site.	10	33.3
Seeing the touristic places and structures in digital environment before visiting the country is a nice experience.	8	26.6
I think tourism activities should be carried out-on site.	7	23.3
It was a nice experience for us, especailly in the pandemic period. The number of such studies should be increased.	5	16.6

, where tourists’ opinions on cultural heritage elements being transferred to digital environment are presented, it is seen that 23.3% of the participants insisted on tourism activities being carried out on-site. 33.3% of the participants emphasized that they would like to see the elements in question on-site, even though they did not see any harm in the transfer of cultural elements to a digital environment. A total of 16.6% of the participants stated that such works were a nice experience for them during the pandemic period, while 26.6% expressed that it was useful to see the cultural elements in digital environment before visiting the country.

Some of the opinions of the participants who stated that touristic activities should be carried out on site are as follows: (P13) “When you mention tourism, I firstly think of travel. Therefore, visiting the country which hosts digital heritage elements and experiencing everything on site is nice; I do not think that virtual environment will provide the same experience”. (P30) “I know that cultural elements are being transferred to digital environment, as you mentioned, but it does not appeal to me. I believe going to the country and seeing everything on site is a completely different experience”.

One of the participants who stated that it was a nice experience to see the relevant touristic places and structures before visiting the country (P14) expressed his/her opinion as follows: “It is very useful to see all cultural elements that could be visited in digital environment before travelling to the relevant country and to have some prior knowledge”.

4.3. Table Related to Tourism Employees

In

Table 8. The effect of digital transformation on the sustainability of cultural heritage.

	Tourism Employees
	F	%
It significantly contributes to the sustainability of digital heritage.	23	76.6
I think it will contribute in certain degrees and in certain fields.	6	20
It does not contribute to the sustainability of digital heritage.	1	3.3

, the responses of participants who were asked about the effect of digital transformation on the sustainability of digital heritage are presented. When the responses are examined, it can be seen that a high rate of participants (76.6%) supported this transformation. Only 3.3% of the participants did not think that this transformation would contribute to sustainability, while 20% of participants stated that this transformation would contribute to a certain degree and in certain fields. Some excerpts taken from the responses of those who believed that this transformation would greatly contribute to the sustainability of digital heritage are as follows: (P34) “If we could exactly achieve such transformation, we will be able to own our cultural heritage and cultural tourism in our country will be increased”. (P41) “Since digital transformation will ensure preservation in a sense, I believe that it will contribute to the sustainability of tourism”. (P40) “The cultural heritage of a country is an important source of information that reveals its identity. Cultural heritage elements especially contribute to economic progress and development of island countries. And I think digitization will positively affect this”.

One of the participants, on the other hand, who stated that digital transformation would not contribute to the sustainability of cultural heritage (P52), expressed the following belief: “Particularly in the pandemic period, we started to do many things including education through computer and the internet. However, I do not believe that digitization would contribute to the sustainability of cultural heritage. If we want cultural heritage elements to survive, we should value and restore them when necessary”.

In

Table 9. The adequacy of Northern Cyprus in terms of infrastructure in the digitization of cultural heritage.

	Tourism Employees
	F	%
Inadequate	18	60
Adequate	12	40

, where the infrastructure adequacy of Northern Cyprus is studied, looking at the digital transformation of cultural heritage, a significant majority of participants responded negatively, and they stated that Northern Cyprus was not exactly ready for such a transformation. On the other hand, 40% of the participants believed that the infrastructure in Northern Cyprus is sufficient for this transformation. Some excerpts, taken from the responses of those who thought that the infrastructure in Northern Cyprus was not adequate for digital transformation, are as follows: (P33) “A powerful internet network is necessary for this transformation. I think Northern Cyprus is not sufficient in this regard”. (P51) “Legal regulations and certain preparations are necessary for such transformation. Unfortunately, we are not witnessing any such preparations”. (P46) “If we are planning such transformation for the digital heritage elements in general, we need to prepare long-term projects and form an organization team who will carry out this transformation. I cannot say that infrastructure is ready in this regard”.

Two of the participants who thought that the infrastructure is adequate in Northern Cyprus expressed their opinions as follows: (P53) “I think we do not have any problems in terms of infrastructure. What we need is entrepreneurs who will initiate such projects”. (P56) “I believe we do not lack anything in terms of infrastructure. We see works being done in this regard in the world. I think we will soon reach the desired point”.

In

Table 10. Digital heritage elements in Northern Cyprus.

	Tourism Employees
	F	%
Museums	13	43.3
Libraries	10	33.3
Photography	7	23.3

, the participants were asked about the digitized heritage elements in Northern Cyprus. While 43.3% of the participants gave museums as an example, 33.3% mentioned the newspaper archives included in university libraries, and 23.3% talked about photographs of Northern Cyprus in digital environments. Some excerpts from the responses of participants who thought that museums were transferred to digital environment are as follows: (P45) “I know that the Shipwreck Museum in Kyrenia has been digitized. I remember seeing it on computer with my son”. (P40) “I know about the Shipwreck Museum in Kyrenia. It is a nice work but needs to be improved. We also should consider such works for other important museums on the island”. One of the participants who thought that there were some digital works libraries stated his/her opinion as follows: (P39) “I know that libraries have transferred especially their newspaper archives to digital environment. I think such efforts are a very important step in terms of preserving our history and providing easy access”. One of the participants who thought that such works were carried out in the field of photography (P34) stated: “I know that there is a website titled Northern Cyprus Culture and Art Collection, and that some photos unique to the island are included in this collection, but works in this area are unfortunately very limited”.

In

Table 11. The increase in the number of tourists, in line with the intensive digital transformation of cultural heritage on the island.

	Tourism Employees
	F	%
It will increase.	29	96.6
No, I do not think that a change will occur.	1	3.3

, it is interesting that almost all participants (96.6%) stated that, along with the intensive digital transformation of cultural heritage, an increase would be observed in the number of tourists coming to the island. It can be seen that only 3.3% did not expect a change in this respect. One of the participants who believed that this transformation would increase the number of tourists (P33) stated: “We need to make the most use of the positive aspects of technology. If the transformation in question is realized with care, I believe it will play a significant role in attracting tourists to the island”. Another participant who thought that there would not be any increase in the number of tourists visiting the island (P52) expressed the following belief: “As I believe that the world is not ready for the transformation you mention in a general sense; I do not expect an increase in the number of tourists”.

In

Table 12. Organizations and institutions that will contribute to the transformation to digital heritage on the island.

	Tourism Employees
	F	%
Ministry of Tourism and Environment	14	46.6
Ministry of National Education and Culture	12	40
Culture Department	2	6.6
Non-Governmental Organizations	2	6.6

, individuals working in the tourism sector in Northern Cyprus think that the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and Ministry of National Education and Culture should make the largest contribution to the transformation to digital heritage. In the while 46.6% of the participants stated that the Ministry of Tourism and Culture should take the lead in this regard, 40% indicated that the Ministry of National Education and Culture should be the pioneer in this transformation. (P45) said, “as it is tourism in question, naturally the Ministry of Tourism and Environment should start works on this issue”. (P40) stated, “Since this is related to culture, preparations can be made under the leadership of the Ministry of National Education and Culture”.

5. Discussion

This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of the use of digital heritage in the sustainability of cultural tourism in island countries; interesting and meaningful information was obtained. Determining the framework of digital environments, which is very important in terms of preserving cultural heritage elements and providing access to them, should be a step in the planning of a country’s digital tourism. To establish this framework, it is necessary and important to inquire about the opinions of tourists and employees, who are the two most important pillars of tourism.

In the study, both participant groups were asked about the cultural elements that could be considered within the scope of digital heritage. Based on their responses, it was found that historical buildings and museums were most desired to be seen in a digital environment. Within the scope of cultural tourism, historical buildings and museums are also among the most-visited places. As Keles [45] stated in his study, in this context, due to the fact that cultural tourism activities almost came to a stand-still in the COVID-19 pandemic period, under the leadership of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 47 different museums and archeological sites were provided with the infrastructure that would allow these places to be visited in a virtual environment.

In another question included in the study, the effect of digital heritage elements on the sustainability of cultural tourism was measured, and by asking both groups about the tourism fields to which transformation to digital heritage can contribute, the status of cultural tourism was investigated from their perspectives. Based on this inquiry, it was seen that both groups had an agreement regarding the fact that a transformation to digital heritage would contribute to cultural tourism the most. In his study, Abdou [46] also indicates that digital heritage can be used to preserve cultural tourism and encourage this type of tourism.

One of the important problems in the field of digital heritage is related to the preservation of data and ability to store data for long periods. This is because, due to hackers and the effect of the natural processes of technology, stored data may become corrupted or completely lost. According to the opinions of the majority of both groups, no problems will be experienced in access to digital heritage on the condition that the technological infrastructure is strong. In addition, a significant portion of participants stated that government institutions should take the necessary precautions with regard to the preservation of data. In their study, Robertson-von Trotha and Hauser [47] also reported that taking precautions against the digital memory loss of the libraries, archives, and museums is very difficult. Moreover, despite all the efforts shown (InterPARES 1–3, ATHENA or Europeana), it is said that the long-term existence of digital data and an important part of cultural heritage is at risk. As emphasized here, Abdou [46] stated in his study that digital heritage faces the risk of being lost. To prevent the risk of losing digital heritage, UNESCO, in collaboration with ICA, IFLA, and other partners, prepared UNESCO/PERSIST Guidelines within the framework of UNESCO PERSIST, an initiative aimed at increasing the sustainability of digital heritage [48].

In the digital heritage transformation planned on the island, it will not be possible to transfer and store all elements at the same time and using the same process. Therefore, prioritizing some elements and starting the transformation process with these elements will make each aspect more feasible. In the interviews, it was seen that the participants emphasized that historical buildings, written works, and museums were the digital heritage elements that would contribute the most to the sustainability of tourism. For this reason, it would be more appropriate to start the island’s transformation to digital heritage in these fields. In the study by the National Library of Australia [49], looking at the principles of the preservation of digital heritage, it was emphasized that the tangible heritage elements that should be stored must be determined. This is because, as stated in the study, there are usually more items than we can store (more information, records, publications, data), and any choice to preserve one item, will necessitate sacrificing something else. Therefore, based on the opinions of participants from both groups, priority should be given to historical buildings, written works, and museums during digital transformation.

In fact, access to digital heritage elements has intensified, especially in the pandemic period, and became a necessity. It can be stated that the tourists visiting the island rarely access digital heritage, and a tendency towards cultural elements being transferred to a digital environment has begun. In their study, Siniscalco et al. [50] reported that, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the full closure of museums and archeological sites, digitizing cultural heritage became a necessity, and that museums, in an attempt to provide virtual access, rearranged themselves by using plenty of choices (2D, 3D, 360° panoramic visualization, photogrammetry, 3D reconstruction, 3D modelling, laser scan, Virtual Research Environment (VRE), or BIM technologies and Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) applications).

In the question investigating the participants’ rate of participation in touristic activities in digital environments, it was determined that 53.3% of the participants did not carry out any touristic activities in such environments. Similarly, in their article titled “The New Reality of Touristic Travels in the Context of Digital Technologies: Virtual Space”, Zuleyhan and Huseyin Baran [51] stated that such new environments mostly attracted a new generation of tourists to a touristic area in a digital sense.

It can be thought that the primary effect of digital heritage elements is attracting tourists to the real space. This study also proves this fact. This is because, in the interviews held with the tourists, it was observed that they mostly felt the need to visit the cultural heritage elements that they saw in the digital environment on-site. This is an important contribution that digital heritage elements will make to cultural tourism. For example, a tourist who has watched the historical structures and natural beauties on the island in a digital environment will also feel the need to experience it on the island. In their study, Liu et al. [52] determined that social media, which is a virtual environment, was used to explore and identify attraction centers in the region, that individuals would visit for touristic purposes prior to their trip. It was seen that tourists’ comments on the centers in social media were effective in the visit. In addition to the tourists who accepted that seeing the touristic places and structures in a digital environment before coming to the island was a nice experience, there were participants who thought that touristic activities should be performed on-site.

A total of 26.6% of participants who were asked about their opinion on cultural heritage elements being transferred to a digital environment stated that it was a nice experience to see the touristic sites in a digital environment before they actually travelled to the relevant country. In a similar vein, in his study titled “A Literature Review on the Usability of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Technology in Tourism Sector”, Bilgehan Demirezen reported that virtual reality has an impact on tourists, and plays a significant role by raising the curiosity of the viewers and making them want to see more [53].

According to the findings obtained from the participants working in the tourism sector, it was seen that the transformation from cultural heritage to digital heritage would greatly contribute to the sustainability of cultural heritage. In their study, Halac and Ogulmus [54] stated that digital data are important in the preservation and sustainability of cultural heritage, and they evaluated Openheritage 3D, which is a platform on which cultural heritage elements can be seen in a digital environment, from this perspective. The researchers suggested that digitization would play an important role in both preservation and access, and that it would be a means to increase the consciousness and awareness of cultural heritage. In line with the preservation of, and increasing access to, cultural heritage elements in digital environment, it will also contribute to the sustainability of cultural tourism.

It can be claimed that the infrastructure in Northern Cyprus is not adequate for the transformation to digital heritage, especially in terms of internet capacity, as well as serious problems in management, planning, and organization. In order for digital transformation to be realized, a multi-faceted preparation and planning process is necessary. As Oztemiz and Yilmaz [55] mentioned in their study, “While preparing for digitization process, money, capability, competence/capacity, technical infrastructure, property rights, sample studies, feasibility, pilot applications, and related conditions should be evaluated”. In their study, Liu et al. [56] indicated that forming a digital heritage requires important resources in terms of material, expertise, tools and cost, and that creating, processing, and presenting multimedia materials necessitates special skills and expertise.

As previously stated, studies on the digitization of cultural heritage in Northern Cyprus are extremely low in number. In the present study, it was seen that the participants mostly emphasized museums and libraries as cultural elements that have been transferred to a digital environment. As Ibrahim Ince and Ugur Ulas Dagli stated, “Virtual City Museum”, which may be established in Northern Cyprus in future and document urban memory in digital environment, will be a huge step towards creating new perspectives on and interest in cultural heritage [57].

It was seen that the participants working in the tourism sector did not have any concerns that the number of tourist would decrease with the transformation to a digital environment, and they even thought that the transformation to digital heritage would contribute to promotion and marketing and lead to an increase in the number of tourists. As stated in the article included on the website titled European Network for Accessible Tourism, “For a certain period of time, new technologies can direct people towards virtual tourism. However, traditional tourism can never be replaced by VR-based tourism; on the other hand, VR-based tourism can be a facilitator for traditional tourism in the post COVID-19 pandemic period when the tourism industry needs rejuvenation” [58].

According to the opinions of the participants working in the tourism sector, the Northern Cyprus Ministry of Tourism and Environment and Ministry of National Education and Culture should provide managers with the required training on the transformation to digital heritage, accelerate technological infrastructure works, and carry out organized and planned studies for a permanent and sustainable digital heritage transformation. In the report prepared by the European Union Committee on how member states planned, regulated, and monitored the digitization of cultural heritage, and with whom cultural heritage institutions established partnerships, it was concluded that “although more than two-thirds of the member states have centralized their strategy of digitization for cultural heritage at the ministerial level, there is no one single approach adopted by the member states that fits all” [59].

6. Conclusions

Cultural heritage is one of the most important elements in the development of tourism, especially on islands. Cultural heritage elements are known to be the most significant sources of data that reveal what a community has experienced in the historical process. As cultural heritage forms a bridge between the past and the future, and it is highly important in terms of human history, it is important that it should be accurately managed and preserved. From the perspective of tourism, cultural heritage has always been a significant source that attracts tourists’ attention, and the transfer of cultural heritage to a digital environment to prevent this source from being damaged by various causes, such as earthquakes, floods, and wars, and to provide tourists visiting the country with preliminary information about the elements in question, has frequently been discussed in recent years.

The knowledge and opinions of the tourists and tourism employees provided us with significant data about the usage status of digital heritage and its effectiveness in the sustainability of cultural tourism in Northern Cyprus. The most important result we obtained in the study, which we may define as interesting, is that, although tourism employees in Northern Cyprus had information about the digitization of cultural elements and the contribution of this transformation to the development of cultural tourism, a considerably noteworthy advancement in this regard has not been achieved on the island to date. The study concluded that, where digital heritage was concerned, the participants mostly thought of historical structures and museums, that both historical structures and museums contributed to the sustainability of tourism the most, and that such a transformation was highly beneficial in terms of the sustainability of cultural tourism in particular.

Based on the study findings, it was concluded that there was a big deficiency in the island’s transformation to digital heritage, in terms of technology the internet, and management, and that a technological infrastructure should be developed first. Moreover, it has been emphasized that, along with the development of technological infrastructure, problems with uninterrupted access to digital heritage would not be experienced. Another important issue is that, in addition to the development of a technological infrastructure, organization, planning and legal regulations should be prepared at the ministerial level. After the necessary preparations, a step-by-step transformation should be achieved by considering which elements will be prioritized in the transformation to digital heritage. Additionally, with the need to increase digital heritage during the COVID-19 pandemic period, the island’s deficiencies in this matter were more realized.

In the interviews, it was determined that “53.3%” of tourists did not participate in tourism activities in a digital environment, and that they did not wish to start and finish a touristic activity in a digital environment. However, it was also found that a significant portion of participating tourists had a positive attitude towards digital transformation. Tourism activities that start in the digital environment continue in the form of experiencing the destination of choice on-site. In this sense, digital heritage does not decrease on-site tourism; on the contrary, it leads to an increase in on-site tourism. This is because most tourists want to see and experience the digital heritage that they viewed in digital environment on-site. In this context, the importance of digital heritage is clear in terms of the promotion and marketing of the heritage of islands that are detached from the mainland and physically isolated from the world. To carry the tourism sector, which is highly important for the economic development of Northern Cyprus, to a higher level, it is important that transformation to the digital environment is carried out in a healthy way, under the guidance of Ministry of Tourism and Environment and Ministry of National Education and Culture.

In conclusion, it can be stated that the promotion and marketing of the tourism sector of the island in the digital heritage environment is a significant and feasible tool to increase the sustainability of its cultural tourism.

The study, which aimed to contribute to the transference of cultural elements in Northern Cyprus to a digital environment in a conscious way, and to develop cultural tourism on the island, has some limitations. Firstly, while determining the study population, the purposive sampling method was used to enhance the sample’s power to represent the population, and a total of 60 (30 + 30) participants working in the tourism sector on the island and tourists visiting the island were interviewed. However, it should not be ignored that extending the study group in question (which would require more time) would mean that the results could vary. It should also be kept in mind that, as the interview environment was a real place rather than an isolated place, there may be variables that could affect the responses to the interview questions (particularly time restrictions and the ability to consult a peer for some questions). The interview form was prepared considering expert opinions and consisted of 12 questions. In future studies, different variables and questions could be prepared, further contributing to the conscious transference of cultural elements to a digital environment and the development of cultural tourism on the island.

Despite these limitations, it is believed that the study can be considered valuable and powerful in terms of its contribution to the conscious digitization of cultural elements in Northern Cyprus in particular, and the sustainability of cultural tourism on the island.

7. Recommendations

During the transformation of the cultural elements on the island to digital heritage, technological infrastructure and internet infrastructure should definitely be improved. Besides, making legal arrangements and plans at the ministerial level is of the utmost importance in digital transformation. Therefore, governments should immediately take action in this regard. To ensure a healthy transformation to digital heritage, a unit affiliated with the government, in which official institutions, NGOs, and academicians could work in coordination, should be established.

Plans should be made based on UNESCO conventions for the preservation of tangible, intangible and digital cultural heritage, and what will first be transformed to digital heritage should be determined. Elements such as virtual museums, archeological sites, exhibitions, etc., prepared within the scope of digital heritage, should be widely used in touristic promotion and marketing.

Based on this study, different academic studies can be conducted on the digitization of cultural elements to make cultural tourism sustainable. For example, academic studies on Northern Cyprus could focus on topics such as the work that needs to be done in the transformation of cultural elements to digital heritage, the software used to prepare digital heritage and the security of this software, ways to raise the awareness of individuals working in the tourism sector on the island in this regard, problems experienced in digital transformation, and the adequacy of the cultural elements that will be transformed into digital heritage. This is extremely important for the tourism potential of the island.