This study examines how Göbeklitepe, which is of great importance in terms of world cultural heritage, can be preserved and evaluated within the scope of sustainable tourism through its digital twin model. As the world’s oldest known prehistoric temple, Göbeklitepe faces significant conservation and sustainable management problems due to the increasing number of visitors each year and the accompanying environmental pressures. In this context, digital heritage applications and digital twin technologies offer innovative solutions for the conservation, documentation, and interactive sharing of cultural heritage sites with a wide audience.
This study is structured within the framework of qualitative research methods. Within the scope of the research, advanced digital technologies used in the production process of Göbeklitepe’s digital twin, created in 2021—photogrammetry, 3D laser scanning, drone imaging, and augmented reality (AR)—have been examined in detail. Technical reports, visual documents, academic publications, and digital platform content related to the Göbeklitepe digital twin model were systematically reviewed; the contribution of these technologies to the high-accuracy transfer of archaeological and architectural elements to the digital environment was evaluated using content analysis methods.
Within this scope, the study discusses the functions of the digital twin model in terms of its use in educational activities, virtual tourism applications, and cultural memory management. In addition, the study evaluates how digital twin applications can be integrated with sustainable tourism policies and examines how physical impacts on the site can be reduced through visitor management, reduction in spatial pressure, and digital tourism experiences. Furthermore, the potential of digital twin applications to create alternative income models for the local economy and cultural institutions has been addressed. In this respect, the study responds to the gap in the literature regarding the comprehensive integration of high-potential technologies such as digital twins into tourism policies.
In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that cultural experiences independent of physical space can be offered through the digital twin of Göbeklitepe and that this approach can contribute to sustainable tourism by supporting both economic and cultural value production processes. The study emphasises that digital heritage applications have become a critical tool in the process of preserving cultural heritage sites, keeping them alive in the digital environment, and passing them on to future generations. It is suggested that digital twin technologies should be an integral component of cultural heritage management and sustainable tourism policies, especially in sensitive archaeological areas.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, C.B.S. and V.D.T.; methodology, C.B.S.; software, C.B.S.; validation, C.B.S. and V.D.T.; formal analysis, C.B.S.; investigation, C.B.S.; resources, V.D.T.; data curation, C.B.S.; writing—original draft preparation, C.B.S.; writing—review and editing, C.B.S. and V.D.T.; visualization, C.B.S.; supervision, V.D.T.; project administration, V.D.T.; funding acquisition, none. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement
Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement
Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement
No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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