THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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ISTANBUL…
July 2026…
Hediye Güral Gür, a member of the HİB Board of Directors and Chairwoman of the Tourism Travel and Gastronomy Services Committee, stated that gastronomy has become not only an element supporting tourism for Türkiye, but also a high value-added service export area.
In a statement released by the Service Exporters Association (HİB), Hediye Güral Gür emphasized that not only chefs but also hotels passed a good test with their services during the summit.
“Gastronomy is no longer just an element supporting tourism, but has transformed into a high value-added service export area,” Gür said.
Gür noted that during the NATO Summit, world leaders were offered products representing different regions of the country, such as Trabzon butter, Hizan honeycomb honey, Urla mastic artichoke, Tokat vine leaves, Erzincan tulum cheese, Maraş ice cream, and Antep pistachios. She added that these choices showcased the cultural richness of Turkish cuisine to the international public and demonstrated Türkiye’s strength in the field of gastrodiplomacy.
Pointing out that today, countries shape international perception not only through their political rhetoric but also through their cultures, cuisines and lifestyles, she said, “Diplomacy is no longer conducted solely in meeting rooms; the cuisines of countries are becoming a silent but effective language of international relations. Countries are conveying their cultures and productive capabilities to the world through their meals. Every dish served at the NATO Summit was not just a meal; it represented Anatolia’s productive power, geographical richness, cultural heritage and Turkish hospitality. Turkish cuisine has once again demonstrated that it is one of the most effective elements of the country’s soft power.”
Gür explained that gastronomy is no longer limited to restaurants, but has created a broad economic ecosystem encompassing everything from tourism and accommodation to event management and food and beverage services.
Underlining that gastronomy has become one of the most important components of service exports today, Gür said, “A tourist doesn’t just eat; they also experience the story of that food, the geography where it’s produced, its culture and its way of life. This experience influences destination choices, extends visit durations and adds higher value to our country.”
“With its structure that increases visitor spending, gastronomy is becoming one of the most important areas that increases added value in service exports,” she said.
“Türkiye is among the strongest countries in the world in the field of gastronomy”
Indicating that Türkiye has the potential to be among the strongest countries in the world in the field of gastronomy, she added, “Our seven geographical regions, our thousands of years of culinary heritage, hundreds of geographically indicated products, our internationally successful chefs and our strong tourism infrastructure provide us with a significant competitive advantage. Gastronomy has now become a common denominator not only of culinary culture but also of tourism, trade, agriculture and national branding.”
“We see gastronomy as one of the strategic areas of service exports and that they are continuing their efforts to support international gastronomy festivals, brand gastronomy destinations, promote geographically indicated products and make Turkish cuisine more visible on a global scale,” she concluded…
