Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand outdoor recreational behaviors and preferences of the residents in Istanbul. The findings of the study are based on a survey which was conducted among 1,400 residents in 32 districts of Istanbul in 2006 and 2007. As the study revealed, about one third of the residents participate in recreational activities in their spare time in Istanbul. Having a picnic, walking, and playing soccer and basketball are the most important outdoor recreational activities while playing tennis, hunting, skating, water skiing, and climbing are the least important activities among the residents. The majority of the residents in Istanbul do not think that they engage in outdoor recreational activities enough due to some constraints like lack of time, financial problems, inadequacy of outdoor recreational areas, lack of companion, and health problems.

Key words: Recreational behaviors, recreational preferences, recreational constraints, Istanbul.