Gastronomy tourism as a tool for sustainable destination marketing

Abstract

The concept of sustainability is increasingly gaining importance today, and it has led to the popularity of sustainable tourism and sustainable gastronomy concepts in destination marketing. The aim of the research is to determine the role of gastronomy tourism in destination marketing in Northern Cyprus. The research is important in terms of taking the views of travel agencies on the role of gastronomy tourism in destination marketing in Northern Cyprus. The research was conducted with the case analysis method, which is one of the qualitative research methods. In the data collection process, a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher was used. Travel agencies, which have an important role in destination marketing, constitute the study group of this research. Within the scope of the research, 28 travel agencies were interviewed. According to the results of the research, it was determined that gastronomy tourism in Northern Cyprus is not effectively emphasized in destination marketing, and accordingly, tourists coming to the island do not experience the gastronomy richness of the island. Therefore, the study emphasizes that local gastronomy can serve as a strategic tool contributing to economic development, destination branding, and sustainable tourism growth. In this context, the findings of the study both provide strategic suggestions for the promotion of gastronomy tourism at the local level and contribute to the literature to fill the gaps in this field.