The Hidden Taste of Anatolia: Kastamonu's Gastronomy Tourism Potential

Tourism covers various activities carried out by a destination in order to attract visitors. Gastronomy tourism, which is among many types of tourism such as culture, nature and sea, has an important place in terms of attracting tourists at all times of the year, providing high economic contribution and allowing local cultural values to be preserved and transferred to future generations. Thanks to its geographical location and hosting many civilisations throughout history, Kastamonu is a rich destination that can offer different types of tourism such as nature, culture, faith, winter, sea and gastronomy. With the interaction of different cultures over time, Kastamonu cuisine has also been shaped with unique and diverse local flavours. The aim of this study is to evaluate the gastronomy tourism potential of Kastamonu based on the views of local stakeholders. In the study conducted with qualitative research method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 tourism stakeholders who shape Kastamonu tourism. The findings revealed that the city has a high potential in terms of gastronomy tourism, but this potential has not yet been sufficiently utilised. In this direction, various suggestions have been presented for the development of gastronomy tourism in Kastamonu. This article is derived from the master’s thesis “A qualitative research on the gastronomy tourism potential of Kastamonu province and stakeholder views”.