Globalization of national cuisine: The case of Turkish cuisine

In this thesis, titled "Globalization of National Cuisines: The Case of Turkish Cuisine," the aim is to evaluate the potential of the global visibility and preference of Turkish cuisine. Alongside this, the demographic and geographical characteristics of foreign tourists visiting Turkey, under the influence of globalization perceptions, are analyzed for their impact on the globalization perception of Turkish cuisine. The results will serve as a guide for promotional strategies to be developed within the context of the globalization of Turkish cuisine. The study aims to determine not only the influence of the characteristics of Turkish dishes and restaurants, but also the perceptions of globalization on the globalization of Turkish cuisine. The research employs a quantitative approach with a survey design using the questionnaire technique. Accordingly, 397 surveys were conducted with foreign tourists visiting Istanbul in and around Sultanahmet Square. The data obtained from the survey, involving tourists from five different nationalities, were analyzed using statistical software programs. The impacts of demographic variables and globalization perceptions of foreign tourists on the globalization of Turkish cuisine were measured. The research concludes that there are significant differences between demographic variables, nationality affiliation, perception of globalization, and the perception of the globalization of Turkish cuisine. It is observed that nationalities and perceptions of globalization have a positive impact on the globalization of Turkish cuisine. Furthermore, the globalization perception positively influences all sub-factors of the perception of the globalization of Turkish cuisine, namely awareness, social structure, political developments, migration, and promotion. Additionally, the proposed model in the research will contribute to the existing literature on the vii globalization of national cuisines. Recommendations have been developed for official institutions, tourism businesses, and researchers at the end of the study. Keywords: Gastronomy, Globalization, National Cuisines, Turkish cuisine, World Cuisines.