ANTALYA

Antalya, a leading Mediterranean tourism destination on Türkiye’s southern Riviera, is seeking to diversify its tourism appeal and strengthen its economy by registering and promoting local products, positioning itself as a growing player in gastronomic tourism.

To reinforce Antalya’s place in the culinary world, the Antalya Gastronomy Platform has been established, focusing on geographical indication registrations and certification processes.

The platform has prepared a comprehensive inventory of potential geographical indication-eligible products across the city center and its districts.

In Antalya’s historic Kaleici old town and yacht harbor area, a restaurant has already received geographical indication certification and now features registered local products on its menu.

Antalya currently has 20 registered geographical indication products, while applications are underway for nearly 200 more. A growing number of restaurants and hotels are incorporating the city’s geographically protected and traditional flavors into their menus.

Speaking to Anadolu, Hakan Saatcioglu, head of the Professional Hotel Managers Association, said millions of visitors leave the city without experiencing authentic local cuisine.

“Seventeen million tourists visit Antalya annually, staying an average of seven days. Some leave without tasting Turkish cuisine,” Saatcioglu said. “We are working to introduce our traditional dishes and believe sharing their stories is crucial.”

Efforts to protect and promote Antalya’s traditional flavors and geographically indicated products continue through various promotional events and initiatives.

Akdeniz University in Antalya hosts the Geographical Indications Application and Research Center, which supports registration processes and conducts related research.

As the Turkish Riviera’s top tourism hub, Antalya is leveraging its Mediterranean culinary heritage — based on fresh ingredients, distinctive regional recipes and an expanding list of protected products — to attract gastro-tourists and enhance its international profile.

In 2025, Antalya welcomed a record-breaking total of approximately 17.1 million visitors, marking a 1.17% increase from the previous year and solidifying its position as Türkiye's top tourism destination with consistent growth in arrivals.