Gazing at Heterotopia: Touristed Landscapes as Contested Spaces in Kaş, Türkiye

Abstract

The concept of the 'tourist gaze' encapsulates the importance of visual culture in tourism. Even as visitors are systematically guided in their viewing of tourist attractions, what they see does not always align with what they expect to see. This is particularly evident within touristed landscapes. This article uses the notion of heterotopia to explore contested and diverse experiences of tourist sites. Adopting a visual perspective on tourist sites in Ka & scedil;, T & uuml;rkiye, tourists' gaze allows us to visually capture how sites are used and the juxtaposition of historical and contemporary landmarks. Historical tourist landmarks are embedded in the town's spatial layout, highlighting the physical heterotopia of the juxtaposition of old and new. At the same time, tourists' gaze also captures how both residents and tourists can create new rituals and practices to counter the expected tourist experience.