GASTRONOMY TOURISM POTENTIAL OF TURKEY

Abstract

As a rapidly growing industry, tourism has become, in recent years, an important sector considered attractive to financiers due to the changes tourism has caused in countries’ economic and sociocultural structures and this industry’s positive contributions to national economies and policies. As one of many subtypes of tourism, gastronomic tourism has developed into a strong attractor thanks to gastronomic activities in tourist destinations. As in many countries around the world, Turkey now provides domestic and foreign tourists with chances to participate in activities organized by public and private organizations that seek to generate business in gastronomic tourism. In this context, this study seek to investigate the importance and current status of gastronomic tourism in Turkey and to identify activities organized as part of the development of gastronomic tourism.