Ebru Koralı, chair of ITO's Restaurant and Food & Beverage Services Committee, highlights the pivotal role of gastronomy in today's tourism industry. "Travelers want to understand the local culinary culture, see the local production, and blend into the story of that geography," she said. "Gastronomy has become one of the strongest cards in the tourism deck."

As Turkey's tourism sector looks to achieve strong growth targets in the 2026 summer season, the focus has shifted beyond just the number of visitors to the quality of the experience offered. Koralı points out that gastronomy is one of the most critical areas shaping the future of tourism. "Travelers want to understand the local culinary culture, see the local production, and blend into the story of that geography. Gastronomy has become one of the strongest cards in the tourism deck," she reiterated.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey welcomed 64 million visitors and achieved a tourism revenue of $65.2 billion in 2025, supporting the 2026 target of $68 billion. However, sustainable growth is not just about visitor numbers; it's also about the bond tourists form with cities, their interaction with the local economy, and the added value created by gastronomy.

About 135,000 registered food and beverage outlets exist in Turkey

Turkey boasts approximately 135,000 registered food and beverage outlets. According to TÜİK data, considering an average of 15 employees per establishment, the food and beverage sector alone employs around 1.725 million people. When hotel staff and kitchen and service teams are included, the sector directly employs nearly 2 million people. By the end of 2025, this translates to an economy worth approximately 1 trillion TL, centered around tourism and gastronomy.

Koralı emphasizes the need for a broader conversation in the 2026 summer season, focusing not just on visitor numbers but on the value created through gastronomy. "Travelers want to experience the culture, production methods, and culinary heritage of a region closely. The economic value of the gastronomic ecosystem should be evaluated not just by visitor numbers but by its contribution to production and employment."

Gastronomy is more than just good food

Gastronomy tourism goes beyond the dining experience. For today's travelers, food encompasses health, quality of life, culture, production, and locality. For high-income tourists, gastronomy is a decisive factor in destination choice.

Koralı notes, "The story behind the plate; the source of the product, the producer, the regional culinary culture, local recipes, and production heritage now matter. It means making the memory of a region, its production methods, and its way of life visible. Successful destinations do not just view gastronomy through restaurants but as part of the local identity, together with agriculture and seasonal cycles."

Cities need gastronomic agendas

Koralı identifies the lack of cohesive gastronomic experiences in cities as a significant gap in gastronomic tourism. "Today, tourists are not just looking for good restaurants; they want to see local producers, visit markets, hear the story of the product, participate in gastronomy workshops, and get to know the regional culinary culture. However, in many cities, these values and routes are disjointed. Tourists do not know where to find them." Koralı stresses the need for cities to develop their own gastronomic agendas.