Understanding the visitor complaints about urban green spaces: a thematic investigation of online reviews on nation gardens in Istanbul, Türkiye

Urban Green Spaces have become essential tools for promoting public health, especially in over-urbanized cities. Following visitors’ outdoor recreation experiences, this paper aims to identify visitors’ complaints about nation gardens in Istanbul. The study site consisted of 12 nation gardens in Istanbul. Initially, 38,965 Google Maps reviews about the nation gardens through December 2022 were screened. Then, 4143 comments containing the visitors’ complaints were identified. After gathering these comments in an Excel spreadsheet, the data was imported to MAXQDA software. Braun and Clarke’s six-phased thematic analysis approach was applied to explore codes and themes. Considering the visitors’ complaints, 91 codes were generated. Relevant codes are categorized under five themes: outdoor areas/physical characteristics, facilities, visitors’ interactions, accessibility/entrance management, and restrictions and security implications. Outdoor areas/physical characteristics, facilities, and visitor interactions are the most common complaints, followed by accessibility and security. Park planners can use visitor feedback to improve existing parks and design new ones, maximizing individual and social benefits, such as health outcomes, and ensuring the effective use of green spaces.