Abstract ID: 3.5516 | Accepted as Talk | Talk | TBA | TBA

Volunteer tourism is an alternative form of tourism that enables individuals to contribute to local communities while supporting sustainable development and fostering cross-cultural interactions. In Türkiye, the WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) platform facilitates opportunities for volunteers to engage with local mountain communities, learn sustainable agricultural practices, and experience life in close connection with nature. This study aims to explore the mutual experiences, expectations, and challenges of WWOOF hosts and volunteers situated in mountainous areas. Using a netnographic approach, the study analyzes comments about hosts, evaluations of volunteer experiences, and profiles of farms listed on the platform. Findings reveal that volunteers are primarily motivated by desires for immersion in nature, cultural exchange, and learning sustainable farming skills, while hosts accept volunteers to build social relationships, receive support in farm work, and promote their local culture. Farms located in mountainous are shown to have significant potential for volunteer agritourism as a form of ecotourism. Research questions: What motivates volunteers to choose WWOOF-listed farms in Turkish mountainous areas? What experiences emerge from the interactions between volunteers and hosts in these areas? How does volunteer agritourism contribute to ecotourism and sustainable development goals in mountainous regions? This study is unique in its focus on the intersection of volunteer tourism and agritourism within the context of Türkiye’s mountainous regions, offering insights into how these practices intersect with sustainable development and cultural exchange. By applying a netnographic methodology, it highlights the underexplored online interactions and evaluations that shape the experiences of both hosts and volunteers. The results emphasize the potential for volunteer agritourism to foster sustainable livelihoods in environmentally sensitive mountain areas.