Sunday, September 22, 2024 Türkiye is setting higher targets to boost its revenue from the rapidly expanding gastronomy tourism sector, aiming to generate $18 billion by the end of 2024 and $25 billion by 2025. Gastronomy tourism, defined as travel focused on exploring the culinary culture, local dishes, beverages, and food production methods of a destination, has become a significant growth area for Türkiye. The country is now recognized as one of the world’s leading nations in this field, with its rich culinary heritage and more than 2,200 local foods and beverages.
Cities such as Gaziantep, Adana, Hatay, and İzmir are renowned as major gastronomy hubs, attracting both domestic and international visitors. To further develop this sector, Türkiye has established 41 food, cookery, and pastry courses, with 16 located in Istanbul. Additionally, 34 gastronomy museums have been opened to showcase local products, and over 360 gastronomy festivals are held across the country each year.
Promotional efforts for Turkish cuisine have extended globally, with events being organized in countries including the U.S., China, Russia, Spain, and Canada.
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), 20% of the country’s $23.66 billion in tourism revenue from the first half of 2024 came from the food and beverage sector, totaling $4.74 billion.
In 2023, the sector generated $10.9 billion. Gürkan Boztepe, president of the Gastronomy Tourism Association, highlighted the increasing importance of gastronomy tourism in Türkiye’s broader tourism strategy.
He emphasized the role of UNESCO’s recognition of Gaziantep as a “City of Gastronomy” in further boosting the sector’s growth potential. Boztepe believes that Türkiye’s rich culinary culture is a key asset in achieving the nation’s tourism goals, which include attracting 60 million tourists and generating $60 billion in revenue. However, he stressed the importance of implementing sustainable tourism policies to remain competitive with other countries that have well-established culinary traditions.
“Türkiye is on its way to becoming a global player in gastronomy tourism,” Boztepe added, calling for better international promotion of the country’s culinary cities. As Türkiye continues to grow its reputation as a top destination for food lovers, the future of gastronomy tourism looks promising, with ongoing efforts to enhance its global standing and expand its influence in international markets..
