Abstract:

This study is a creative idea for the marketing and awareness of the cities that are included with the gastronomic theme in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network to identify the gastronomic cities that are suppressed by the mining memory of the city’s gastronomic theme as a creative idea and to explore their contribution to the gastronomic city marketing. However, the contribution of gastronomic cities to employment, the expectations from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and the results of gastronomic cities towards tourist demands are targeted. While this study includes an inquiry sent to the managers of gastronomic cities, a qualified study was conducted with the web page of gastronomic cities and the internet browsing in general. As a contribution to the marketing of cities, the only gastronomic city that printed money on the gastronomic theme is "Afyonkarahisar/Turkey". However, the cities that are included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network; the increased number of tourists, the contribution to employment, the support of local producers, the attractive city, the increased awareness and brand value of the city, the increased participation in national and international media, and the source of pride of local actors, stakeholders and citizens. But gastronomic cities appear to be in a great expectation from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network to further promote their cities internationally. Here it is not to ignore that the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not such a purpose.

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