Abstract:

In Turkey, it is observed that alternative tourism types are increasingly gained more importance to both generate the tourism potential more effectively and proliferate the tourism-related income. When compared to other tourism types, it can be emphasized that the culinary tourism particularly attracts more attention in this context. Therefore, the current study aimsto determine the culinary tourism target markets in the Mediterranean and Southeastern Anatolia Regions, which have rich food and beverage culture, by using the multi-criteria decision making method. In the study, Adana, Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, and Hatay were chosen as probable target markets. The researchers created 22 major criteria by consulting to the specialists. For each probable target market, these criteria were weighted according to their degrees of importance by utilizing the Entropy method. In order to reliably evaluate the mentioned degrees of importance, VIKOR Method was used. The results showed that Adana could be preferred as a primary target market for culinary tourism.        

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