The Place of Geographical Indication Products in the Menus of Food and Beverage Businesses and Importance in Gastronomy Tourism: Example of Uzungöl

Abstract

The registration of local products and increasing their awareness are important both in transferring the food culture to future generations and in ensuring that the region is preferable in tourism. At the same time, it can contribute to the development of the gastronomic tourism potential of the region, to increase the welfare of the local people and to the development of the region. Therefore, it is important to register more local products and raise awareness about these products in the local people and business owners. In the study, it is aimed to determine the status of geographically indication products in the menus of food and beverage businesses in Uzungöl, one of the touristic places of Trabzon. In this context, the interview technique, one of the qualitative research methods, was used and interviews were conducted with 8 food and beverage business owners in Uzungöl. When the findings obtained from the study are examined, it is noteworthy that the owners of the food and beverage businesses in Uzungöl do not have enough information about geographically indication products. It is seen that food and beverage business owners include geographically indication products on their menus without realizing it, but not all geographically indication products are included in their menus. By trying to include all geographically indication products in the menus of food and beverage businesses in Uzungöl, which is one of the important touristic destinations of Trabzon province, it will be possible to recognize the local products of the province both in the national and international environment. Thus, it will be possible to contribute to the better evaluation of the gastronomic tourism potential of the region.