Perceived Performance of Gastronomy Destinations: The Case of Gaziantep, Adana, Hatay, Sanlıurfa, and Mardin

Abstract

The advent of gastronomy as a discipline has occurred in tandem with the emergence of gastronomic tourism as a concept. Türkiye boasts a multitude of destinations that hold significant importance and promise in this regard. Despite the existence of numerous academic studies in the field of gastronomic tourism, there remains a paucity of research addressing the issue of competitiveness among destinations. The present research was conducted with the objective of assessing the competitiveness and reputation of Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Mardin, Hatay, and Adana—destinations that are widely regarded as being at the forefront of gastronomy in Türkiye—in the eyes of the public. This assessment was undertaken within the framework of this gap. In this research, a multifaceted approach was employed to assess the perceptions and perspectives of tourists visiting the research destinations concerning regional culinary traditions. This approach entailed the utilization of both quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments, thereby facilitating a comprehensive evaluation of the destinations' competitiveness in the culinary tourism sector. In the quantitative section of the research, data were collected using a structured interview form. In the qualitative component of the research, an average of 200 reviews were collected from Tripadvisor for each city. In the research, the data sets were compared, and the strengths and weaknesses of the destinations were identified. The primary rationale for employing the research as a tool by regional managers and business owners involved in the economic cycle is its capacity for comparative analysis of data. Accordingly, the destinations are hereby ranked according to the scores given by potential tourists who participated in the survey. The sequence of cities traversed is as follows: Gaziantep, Adana, Hatay, Şanlıurfa, and Mardin. However, according to the opinions expressed by tourists who have traveled to these destinations and experienced the restaurants in the region, the destinations are ranked as follows: The sequence of cities traversed is Hatay, Adana, Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, and Mardin.

Keywords

• Gastronomy Tourism
• Destination Competitiveness
• Destination Performance

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