The study comprehensively addresses the environmental and managerial risks threatening the sustainability of the thermal water resources in the Pamukkale travertines and the Karahayıt region. It emphasizes that climate change, drought, illegal drilling, excessive water use, and insufficient monitoring mechanisms are creating serious pressure on the thermal resources in the region.

Within the scope of the research, in-depth interviews were conducted with stakeholders including hotel managers, engineers, academics, public institutions, and civil society organizations. The findings revealed that the natural thermal water resources feeding the travertines in Pamukkale have significantly decreased in recent years, and similarly, there has been a noticeable decline in the thermal resources in the Karahayıt region.

The study particularly highlights risk factors such as illegal wells and uncontrolled drilling activities, the possible effects of intensive use of groundwater in agricultural irrigation, decreased snowfall and precipitation due to climate change, excessive consumption of thermal water for heating and other purposes, as well as insufficient monitoring and bureaucratic issues.

The researchers emphasized that Pamukkale is not only a tourism destination but also a natural and cultural heritage site of global significance included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, stating that the protection of thermal resources is critical for the future of the region. It was underlined that the future of the region depends not only on natural processes but also on the joint action of public institutions, the tourism sector, local communities, and academia, and that urgent and comprehensive measures must be taken to protect these resources.