Antalya pushes gastronomic branding as local product registrations rise

Turkey

With a growing list of protected regional foods, the Mediterranean destination is positioning cuisine as a pillar of tourism diversification

Antalya, one of the Mediterranean’s leading tourism hubs, is increasingly turning to its culinary heritage to broaden its appeal beyond sun-and-sea travel. By registering and promoting local products with geographical indication status, the city aims to strengthen its profile in gastronomic tourism and encourage visitors to engage more deeply with regional food culture.

The initiative reflects a broader effort to diversify Antalya’s tourism economy while anchoring it more firmly in local identity. With millions of visitors each year, the destination sees food as an underused gateway to cultural experience and longer-lasting economic value.

Building a framework for local flavours

To coordinate these efforts, the Antalya Gastronomy Platform has been established. Its focus lies on identifying products eligible for geographical indication status and supporting certification processes across the city and its districts. As part of this work, the platform has compiled a comprehensive inventory of local foods with the potential for protected designation.

In the historic Kaleiçi old town and marina area, at least one restaurant has already received geographical indication certification and now features registered local products on its menu. More restaurants and hotels across Antalya are beginning to integrate protected and traditional dishes, signalling a gradual shift in how local cuisine is presented to visitors.

Closing the gap between visitors and local cuisine

Despite Antalya’s popularity, industry representatives acknowledge that many tourists leave without experiencing authentic regional food. Hakan Saatcioglu, head of the Professional Hotel Managers Association, points to this disconnect. “Seventeen million tourists visit Antalya annually, staying an average of seven days. Some leave without tasting Turkish cuisine,” he said. “We are working to introduce our traditional dishes and believe sharing their stories is crucial.”

This emphasis on storytelling underscores the idea that gastronomy is not only about taste, but also about context, tradition and connection to place.

Support from research and education

Institutional backing plays a role in the city’s culinary strategy. Akdeniz University hosts the Geographical Indications Application and Research Center, which supports registration procedures and conducts research related to protected products. Alongside promotional events and sector-led initiatives, this academic involvement helps formalise and safeguard Antalya’s food heritage.

Tourism growth meets culinary ambition

Antalya currently counts 20 registered geographical indication products, with applications pending for nearly 200 more. The rising number highlights both the diversity of local produce and the scale of the city’s ambitions in this field.

In 2025, Antalya welcomed around 17.1 million visitors, a year-on-year increase of 1.17 percent, reinforcing its status as Türkiye’s leading tourism destination. By pairing this growth with a clearer gastronomic identity rooted in Mediterranean ingredients and regional recipes, Antalya hopes to attract gastro-tourists and elevate its international standing as a place where cuisine forms part of the travel experience, not just the backdrop.