Turkish cuisine hailed as deep, flavorful, as Türkiye aims to become leading player in culinary tourism: Minister

By Fatih Turkyilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy hailed Turkish cuisine as deep and flavorful -- a product of centuries of knowledge and experience.

Ersoy attended the 4th Global GastroEconomy Summit Program held by Tourism Restaurant Investors and Gastronomy Enterprises Association (TURYID) in Istanbul.

Ersoy, citing the importance of culinary in tourism, noted that tourists make preferences considering the culinary culture, local flavors and experiences a destination can offer.

“We are making a difference with our unique and flavorful experiences we offer in Türkiye, as the rich culture is a blend of the geographic location and the diverse climate the country offers, which gives us an edge in culinary tourism.”

Ersoy pointed out that his agency is working to promote Türkiye’s rich food and beverage culture worldwide, as it aims to place Türkiye among the leading culinary tourism destinations.

“We aim to demonstrate Türkiye as a fine dining destination, similar to how London, Paris, and New York are portrayed,” he said. “We hosted culinary experts and created promotional media to show worldwide, and we have been successful, as we attracted many to Istanbul, Izmir, and Bodrum, and now these places stand out as ‘gastrocities,’ covered by the Michelin Guide.”

Ersoy underlined that Türkiye’s food and beverage expenditures in 2023 soared 19%, indicating improvements in tourism promotion.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim